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Birthday Week Part 3: Air Guitar Championships

Okay, I know this was over a month ago, but I have to share because...

OMG.

Air Guitar is AWESOME!

On June 6, two of my BFF's took us to what we thought was going to be a bunch of nuts rock out on stage like idiots. Which it was, but we had no idea that meant it was going to be SO FREAKING ENTERTAINING!

Here's a run-down of the evening from the bloggers at US Air Guitar.

And below are some action shots...my friends knew one of the performers by the stage name Dirty Airy (he came in second by the way! woo hoo!), so I had to squeeze up to the front and get pics of the big finale with all the contestants strumming their air guitars to "Free Bird."

It was an amazing moment. Strange. But amazing.

Oh, and I am SOO going again next year, if anyone wants to join me!

10,000 Step Challenge Results...AND new challenge

I am so happy that I inspired so many of my friends to get up and moving. While I didn't walk 10,000 steps every day, this challenge has definitely changed my daily routine for the better. I walk to the MUNI station every morning, walk home every night, and generally more active. I hope it has done the same for you.

Now, my coworkers and I have come up with ANOTHER challenge...actually, it's a contest. We're going to all workout, no matter the length or the difficulty, and mark it down on the calendar. Whoever has worked out the most times in the month will win, well, something. Our first idea was a beer or cookie...but that really defeats the purpose. But anyways, we're all off to a good start.

The other night it was a cold windy SF evening, so I decided instead of a jog, I would try one of the workout videos streamed to the computer on Netflix. I've always wanted to learn how to dance, but since I have two left feet bigger than any ever encountered, I am way too embarrassed to go to a class setting...yet. So I decided to try one of the Crunch Dance videos.



That blonde girl on the right is even more obnoxious than the host. Yes, really.

SO how did I do? Let's just say that half way through I gave up paying attention to the lady and started doing my own booty dance.

I wasn't fooling Archie. He knew this was worse than even the blooper reel of "So You Think You Can Dance" and by the look on his face, I think he was starting to get concerned that I was having some kind of attack.

I'm not giving up though. I'm going to figure out that top-tap-shuffle thing if it kills me...or the cat.

And I'm gonna win this workout contest.

Let the games begin!

Just had to share...

Most of the stuff we get forwarded are, let's face it, big piles of cheeze. But every now and then there's something that makes you actually L.O.L. and you totally get sucked in...and those are the ones to share. Here's a couple that I was sent by my clever friends and coworkers that are worth checking out. Enjoy!

My friends who are graphic designers will REALLY appreciate this one:
http://www.familybiking.com.tw/lost_cat.html

I wish I had this little girl's self-esteem and positive attitude:



Oh, and Boyfriend sent me the picture to the left (courtesy of Boing Boing) to cheer me up the other day. It totally worked. :)

Birthday Week Part 2: 83 Proof

It was exciting to have my birthday fall on a Friday night!

It meant that all my friends could come out to one of my favorite bars to celebrate. 83 Proof is the perfect mix of expert cocktails, casually yet classy atmosphere, easy to get to, and comfy decor.

Located behind the Walgreens on First Street between Market and Mission, it was a central location for all my wonderful friends who came from as far away as Sacramento and Fresno. (Have I mentioned that I am the luckiest girl in the world for having such AMAZING friends!)

We hung out in the mezzanine, overlooking the bar. It was perfect for a party, because we could all hang out and be relaxed...it was like having a private space.

I drank my favorite drink all night, Sweet Tea infused Vodka with 7-up, twist of lime and bitters....sooo yummy! (Thank you Skye, nobody makes a drink like you!)

It was the perfect night and I couldn't have asked for more from a birthday. Thanks for hosting, 83 Proof!

Birthday Week Part 1: Sauce

Hi everyone,

Sorry I've been MIA...my birthday week kicked my butt! It was SUPER fun and I think it was one of the best I can remember, but it wore me out. Don't worry, I will fill you all in on the details.

The birthday celebrations officially started with Sunday's A Drag, which I already told you about.

Then on Wednesday, some of my BFF's and I had our first of the Birthday Dinners at Sauce in Hayes Valley. It's one of my fave backup restaurants. They have good food that you can depend on and that can please the whole range of taste buds. My faves are the Portobello Mushroom Fries, Tomato Bisque (it comes with little mini grilled cheese sandwiches, how perfect!) and the Beet Salad. Oh, and they always have yummy desserts!

Give it a try and let me know what you fave is.

Trendy Mayo?

Being a creative-type, I've always kept my eye out for clever advertising. I can't help it. That's how my design teachers taught me. Living in SF is a great place for checking out the most clever ads -- especially the campaigns that blanket the underground MUNI stations.

The most recent one that caught my eye was for Miracle Whip. Yes, really. I know, I was completely surprised, too. They were being quite agressive, clever and avant garde, especially for a condiment. Their concept centers around "Are you mayo or are you miracle whip?"

And then it directly ties the consumer and their personal identity to the product, by putting sayings like "Are you bland or bold?" on the walls. "No mayo allowed beyond this point" on the floor. The background is all done to look like painted plywood billboard space. This is totallly not what I was expecting from mayo.

Oh, excuse me.

Apparently Miracle Whip is NOT Mayo.

I never knew that! But now I sure do.

Here's some more pics of the Powell Street eastern most entrance:

Sweet, spicy cole slaw is heavenly

This memorial day, my friends and I got together for a rooftop barbeque in SF. Except for the wind and a couple of missing buddies, it was perfect. Yummy steak, chicken, beer, wine, grandma's secret recipe coffee cake (the best ever, Susan!) and lots of other great eats.

I decided to make a new coleslaw recipe I found and it was delish. The recipe made two big containers full and we ate almost all of it! It's a little bit sweet and a little spicy, which in my opinion, is the perfect combo. The Food Network has lots of great recipes...I'm always finding something that's unique, yet still pretty simple to make.

Let me know if you give this one a try for yourself!

Cole Slaw with Pecans and Spicy Dressing
courtesy Food Network and Tyler Florence

Sunday's A Drag is anything but!

Today some of my best buds and I went to Harry Denton's Starlight Room for a fun-filled Sunday brunch full of delish eats, yummy mimosas and a fabulous drag show.

I'm not really the type to get starstruck, so I don't know what it is about these ladies that gets to me...but every time I see a drag queen I freak out as if it's really Madonna, not someone dressed like her circa 1995. I mean, seriously. Just take a look at my expression in this picture. It's like a kid meeting Mickey Mouse at Disneyland.

Anyways, for a "tourist event" this was pretty freakin' fun. Miss Donna Sachet was an amazing hostess and the girls really did an awesome job on the stage. The highlight for me was seeing "Beyonce" doing "All the Single Ladies." It took all the strength I had not to jump up and start dancing along. And my new Drag Crush is totally and completely Cassandra Cass, this transsexual diva is like a real life Barbie...only way more fun! She's amazing to watch perform and I can't wait to see her on her upcoming reality show.

Whether you're gay or straight, this is one of the most delightful and entertaining ways to spend a Sunday afternoon. If anyone wants to go check it out, count me in! I'd love an encore.

The way to happiness...in list form.

So I was going through some of the clippings and notes that I keep...I have so many of them it's scary! If these were actual pieces of paper and not computer files, my apartment would be wallpapered with randomness.

Anyway, I came across this list of things to do to make life a little easier...and consequently, less stressed and happier. It was in a doc titled "Be Happier Right Now."

I don't remember where I got it from, but I do know I didn't come up with it myself. I apologize to the writer, and please let me know if you've seen this before so I can give them proper credit (and check out what else they've written).

A few of the items here I do already, and some I KNOW I have to work on.

• Laugh at yourself.
• Keep stamps in the house.
• Keep extra cash in the house.
• Have a good book to read.
• Bring a hat and an umbrella.
• Don’t wear tight pants or uncomfortable shoes.
• Don’t let yourself get too hungry.
• Make a list.
• Always keep your passport in the same place.
• Always put your keys away in the same place — and keep an extra set of keys.
• Keep a Band-Aid and a small bottle of pain reliever in your purse.
• Make your bed.
• Never let your car’s gas level fall into the "empty" zone.
• Have at least one friend who lives in your neighborhood.
• Go to bed 30 minutes earlier than usual.
• Get up 20 minutes earlier than usual.

So, what do you think of this list?

This kitty LOVES his broccoli

And now combining topics from the last two posts...

Here is an adorable kitten crying over giving up his yummy broccoli. No joke!

This is the cutest thing I have ever seen. (Sorry, Archie!)

Archie, his shoe and this crazy purr...

Archie is quite the character, you all know that from his many guest appearances on this blog. One of the many reasons he stands out is his bizarre sounding "Happy Purr" that he makes.

It sounds like a coffee pot percolating or some kind of weird siren. People stop and stare at him and ask me if he's okay, and I assume so...until he does it so much he starts to burp and cough.



Maybe I should be concerned...

Does anyone else have a cat that does this?

Oh, another strange thing that Archie does is obsess over shoes. I finally gave him the pair in this video so he would leave my other ones alone. He scratches them, hugs them, sniffs, rolls, and drools on them. To keep his very short attention span, I also put catnip in the toe of this shoe and boy does he love that!

Mmmm...broccoli!

Farm Fresh To You has sent me a plethora of broccoli. I finally put it on my "exclusions" list (aka, "ick list") but meanwhile, Boyfriend and I made a delicious broccoli soup out of the piles of green goodness.

We based it on this recipe from Epicurious titled Broccoli Soup with Chive-Cayenne Oil, but added chili pepper flakes and lemon. (I can't take credit for either of these smart additions.)

It turned out super yummy and I was very glad that it didn't have all that heavy cream other recipes call for. We didn't make the chive-cayenne oil, but I think it worked just fine without.

Santa Cruz + BFFs = Awesome

Boy, the weekend flies by fast!

We went to Natural Bridges in Santa Cruz for a friend Amber's 30th birthday (oops, exuse me, ALMOST 30 celebration). Such a fun time in such a beautiful place.

These pics were taken by my friends Kim and Luke...thanks for being the group photographers. I was totally bummed that my phone ran out of juice and I couldn't take any.

This is one of my favorite places...and one of the many reasons why California is so freakin' awesome.

A fuzzy lil bit of sweetness

I am blogging from the road tonight...actually from the CalTrain, but you know what I mean.

While occupying our very slow trip home with my usual blog obsessions, I noticed Violet Pie had a new posting. Yay!

I adore these sweet--and just a touch creepy, but still super loveable--little figurines. Especially these lil bunnies. Trust me, these are cute buggers worth checking out!

http://violetpie.typepad.com/violet_pie/2010/03/another-litter-of-critter.html

Archie vs. The Crow

The update on Archie's leash training is that we are doing very well. He walks like a normal cat up and down the halls and is not longer afraid of the neighbors. I am getting plenty of curious looks from everyone, but over all we are having fun so who cares.

He's making lots of new friends....and one enemy, The Crow.

While we don't go outside yet, I have been taking him out onto the outdoor ledges that lead to the fire escapes. Archie LOVES it...the first thing he does is roll around and get dirty. (Don't worry, I keep a tight hold of his leash so he can't get near the edge.)

The last time we went for a walk, we decided to go to a different fire escape on the other side of the building. I opened the door, Archie stepped outside and he immediately started purring. All of a sudden we saw a big blob swoosh down from the sky. Then again. Next thing we know, there's a GIANT crow sitting on the rooftop across from us...and he looks pissed. He starts flapping his wings and hopping toward us. Soo freaky!

I yanked on Archie's leash and yelled for him to get inside. He was pretty spooked, but still pretty curious. Much more than I was. It was a good thing we left when we did, because as soon as I shut the door The Crow hopped right over in front of the glass panes and began cawing at Archie. Boy, was that bird pissed!

Archie was SO excited to have a playmate so close. He was making his little chattering noises and ducking around the door trying to get a better look. But honestly, the bird was really freaking me out. It wasn't afraid of anything and kept hopping closer to the window. Eventually I had to drag Archie away from the glass...I was afraid the thing was gonna try to break in!

We haven't gone back to that fire escape...and honestly, I don't think we ever will. I don't want to take the chance that The Crow will remember us and dive bomb Archie.

See, in the big city, Archie doesn't even need to leave the building to get a taste of adventure! I can't imagine what's in store for us when we head into the concrete jungle.

I'm smitten with...explodingdog

[title: my tummy is rumbling]

Explodingdog and I have had a rocky relationship. For a few years it was my one true web-love. Each illustration is inspired and named by a phrase that a reader has emailed in to the website. The results are very entertaining. My sun rose and set around the artist Sam's new drawings being posted of clever, witty little lollipop-headed men and chunky robots.

Then one day, it was like I didn't recognize those awkward little bodies anymore. Sam's style began to change and pretty soon I just couldn't bare visiting the website anymore. His drawings had lost their magic to me.

But I am SO happy to say, that like all interweb soulmates, I found my way back to Explodingdog. The style and cleverness that I so loved is back stronger than ever and once again pulling at my heartstrings.

Here are a few of my all-time faves. I hope you adore them as much as I do!

[title: where did i go?]












[title: when i am sad, i eat a cookie]












[title: I hate the coffee at work]












[title: i'm just a little southern girl]

10,000 Step Challenge off to a rocky start...

...but does that mean I'm going to give up? No way! I just have some extra steps to squeeze in here and there.

We went away for the weekend. I planned to go hiking hit my walking quota in that way, but there was no way I was able to, so I fell behind. And that's okay. It was still an active and super fun trip that I wouldn't trade for anything.

I am SO excited to see how many people are taking this challenge as their own. There's nothing like a strong support group to help push you toward your goal.

One thing I've been doing to get more steps in each day is walking to a farther bus stop when I go to work. It's only half a mile away from me, but doing it both ways adds up. And can you believe I actually get to work quicker?! It was a pleasant surprise.

So what have you guys been doing to jump start your stepping?

Make a Wish

I was doing research for a work project and came across this site:

www.real-wishes.com

It's too funny! Would anyone really believe this?! Usually I see this kind of thing in an email, and it includes a cute photo or a fun poem or something. But this HAS NOTHING...except that it will make your dream come true because 8 is a magic number!

Silly people...

But hey, if you believe in it, give it a try and let me know when your wish comes true.

p.s. That's a picture of a rainbow over the Bay Bridge from the view at our offices. I'm pretty lucky already to be living and working in SF, but it can't hurt to make a wish every now and again. :)

I'm smitten with...Daytrotter

I deeply apologize to those of you who I have not told about this website. I have been obsessed with Daytrotter and the brilliant musicians it has introduced me to for well over four years now. The site is all about their Free recordings of live sessions from their studios in Rock Island, Ill that are honest and captivating and really really awesome music! Oh, and they have great portraits for each artist/band.

















It's been a little while since I've been on their site, and they have made A LOT of valuable upgrades without sacrificing their mission... to share free music. In fact, its even easier now to listen to their recordings because they have a downloading app that automatically puts the songs on your computer and into your iTunes playlists with literally two clicks! Amazing!

















Okay, now be sure to check out the following artists' recordings when you visit (which you need to do right after reading this):

- Fourth of July
- Ingrid Michaelson
- Vampire Weekend
- The Lonelyhearts
- Hockey Night

Seriously, I am SO excited to be sharing this site with you all. It really did change my life.

Let's get dirty...

Yay!

So we are heading off tomorrow to go camping in Mendocino...and be there while our friends get married in the wilds.

I haven't been camping since I was a little girl (and come to think of it, I've never been to Mendocino) so this should be fun...

But dirty.

And there will be bugs.

OMG, I hate bugs.

Yikes!

Okay, well, no matter what it will be an adventure and a really fun way to celebrate the beautiful occasion.

Wish me luck!

PS: This isn't a picture of Mendocino. It's Lake Tahoe from when we stayed at a super nice, big house there...and that's the closest to "roughin' it" that I've done in a long time. :)

Time to get off my ass...

About a month ago, Boyfriend mentioned a study he read emphasizing, once again, the horrible health risks of a sedentary lifestyle. It's been proven that even if you exercise at the gym or go to pilates and yoga after work, sitting for long periods of time is STILL a health risk.

As a writer, I spend most of my time sitting on my butt in front of a computer (like I am right now) so our conversation really stuck in my mind...and scared me. Today, after the realization that the most I walked was around the block to grab lunch, I decided I have to make a change.

I have decided to start a personal 10,000 step challenge. I figure this is the best way to combat a sedentary lifestyle.

There's lots of similar challenges on the web, like this one and another from Kaiser...and okay, I totally stole their idea. But the whole point is to get off my ass and get moving. It will make sure I stay healthy and help with so many issues, especially stress and depression, which are constant struggles of mine.

So this is my challenge: 30 days. 10,000 steps a day...(lemme do the math)...300,000 steps.

I will be checking in with you all weekly and keep a daily counter going so that I don't get lazy and end up on the couch for a Law & Order marathon, which some of you know is a common occurrence.

Okay, so who's with me?

Anyone else feel like trying for 10,000 steps a day?

How do you say YUMMY in Japanese?

A friend and I took a walk break at work today and look at the deliciousness we stumbled upon. It's a Japanese sweets store called Minamoto Kitchoan, located at Market and New Montgomery.

Everything inside looked absolutely divine; you can really tell how much thought and effort goes into these desserts (and why they're also extravagantly priced.)

Most of the info for the store is in Japanese, so I don't know too much about all the goodies, except for that this sugar-coated sliced yuzu will be dancing in my head all night long.

And I really love those Lucky Cat gift boxes...I can't wait to bring that to a housewarming party.

How could you not LOVE this face?

Don't you just want to **squeeze** those chubby cheeks?!

I got to spend yesterday playing auntie to the most adorably-ugly (come on! it's true!) little puppy, Josie. My brother has wanted an English Bulldog for as long as I can remember. His then fiance, now wife, finally made his wish come true this past Christmas with this little sweetheart.

She has the whole family smitten...everyone but my parent's doxie. Can't please everyone. :)

I was a skeptic about this breed until Josie came along. And now I just can't get enough auntie time.

Can you blame me?

Happy Mother's Day

I am so happy to be going to Napa to see my mom and grammy. They are the best mom's in the entire world :)

They LOVE flowers, so to celebrate, here's some pretty florals for everyone to enjoy.

Happy Mother's Day!
xox

Iron Man 2

I went to go see Iron Man 2 tonight...which I didn't even know was coming out this weekend until my brother mentioned it. We always go see the comic movies together. And this was a great one.

Iron Man 2 was a fun-filled, action-packed flick. (I know, I should come up with something more poetic, but its a super hero movie, what more can I say...and its late.)

I love Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man, seriously, he was made for the role. And Mickey Rourke was great as the villan. He was so creepy looking!

I say go see it. :)

Whale Watching...minus the whales

Boyfriend and I were SO excited (okay, I was the giddy one) to go out this morning and use my Groupon for San Francisco Whale Tours to go see Grey Whales migrating past the Farallon Islands. I've always wanted to see whales, and I LOVE being out in the middle of nature.

For unforeseen reasons, the boat had to come back after heading out for only an hour. I know...I was SUPER bummed, too. But the trip route took us along the Northern California shore, and it was GORGEOUS, so the trip wasn't a total waste. How could be out in the fresh sea air and sunshine with your favorite person not be awesome?!

The tour people were super nice and we were able to reschedule for later this month, so I will have a whole new adventure to share. In the meantime, here are some pics from our lovely, yet brief, boat ride.

Happy weekend, everyone!

P.S. My digital camera is totally wonky and makes the color all funny...I actually like the pics better that way. It gives them character!