West Coast Peeps Help Me Out...

Does this sh*t run on the west coast TV stations? Do I only see this because I live in the Midwest where there are actual farmers?



More importantly -- when I looked this up on youtube it shows that it was added in 2007... 6 years ago! How does this site have enough business to survive for 6 years?!?!

My new retirement plan is to create an obscure dating website.

Some Get Ready/Run Beats.

Want a great mix to get ready to or run to? Check this one out.



Great stuff. The whole thing is great.

And it is by a fabulous, young, great DJ. What more could you ask for?

Sunday Reads...

A few of my favorite things if you want to know what peaks my interest... What else do you have to do on a Sunday night?

- This compilation is very useful if you need to write a wedding speech. It is also to fun to see which one best describes your relationship... A few that describe J and I would have to be A Lot Like Love, Juno, Mahogany, and My First Mister.

- This house! I love me a craftsman filled with eclectic style in cool colors.

Damn Tibi.

I hate when I fall in love with a piece that a blogger is wearing only to find out that Tibi makes it. I have a love/hate relationship with Tibi - I love the designs but I hate the $million dollar$ price tags.

I have student loans to pay off Tibi, why oh why can't you make an affordable pieces?

Some Great Sunday Reads...

If you just want to chill this Sunday and read some good articles, below are some of the articles and news releases that made me think this week:

- If you live in San Francisco or in the bay area, please, please, PLEASE make an effort to be a part of this little guy's Make-A-Wish. If I was anywhere close to there, I would be there in a heartbeat.

- This guy rejecting the Walmart view of marriage made me second guess why I have always said marriage wasn't something I needed in my life.

- This article gave me ammo to respond to everyone that says iOS 7 sucks. I love iOS 7.

- The FAA's most recent announcement just fueled J's addiction to watching TV on his iPad through the entire flight.

- And I can't wait to see this TV turned movie... It better not be lame.

Things You Learn From Traveling...

This has become an almost daily occurrence since our Turkey/Greece trip. I know I may be a bit late to the game but I'm addicted to Greek yogurt, honey, and granola.

Not Charity or Pity, But a Mutual Respect.

"It's so much more powerful when it's a group." - Eddie Vedder

Just Sayin': Mismatch.

When you have blonde hair, a black Sharpie is not the correct utensil to use to do your eyebrows... Just sayin'.

My Wedding M.O.

I am notorious for going to weddings and not taking a single picture. (And for always ending the night on the dance floor with a full bottle of champagne, dancing like a little kid.)

At least I have friends that take pictures... Thanks Plastic!

The Cali ladies with one Chicagoan and one Austinite. It's been a while since the we've all been together. 

P.S. Realizing that I have a go to dress... A solid shift dress. This one is a little more "toga-ish" in the words of some drunk friends but I still loved it. And the green color was fun when I "disappeared" on the green screen for the flip books. 

Parenthood.

God damn Parenthood.... Gets me every time. If you don't watch it, do yourself a favor and get on it.

This Is Water and I Love Water.

My Two Favorite Sports.

Both types of football - American and English. Double Awesome!

M.I.A.

No, no another post about an airport.

Here to say sorry I have been M.I.A. Had a few months of making myself as un-google friendly as possible. Explanation available if anyone is interested but really nothing much exciting.

So, the point of this post... I'm back. Love it or hate it. I'm back. Opinions, attempts to make people laugh, and all.

After watching Mariah Carey's new music video, I had a realization. Clear bra straps are the equivalent of clear heels.

All Cleaned Up.

Just a quick pic of my sister, parents, and I at my niece's wedding a few weeks ago.

I am sporting a Prabal Gurung for Target dress (currently on sale for $13.98!!), Jessica Simpson heels (old), and this cuff. Not the trendiest of outfits but I definitely stood out among the blue and purple outfits.

What was the best about this trip? Getting to spend so much time with my family. Damn I miss them and am so lucky to be able to see them when I do.

Until August for Round 2... when the nephew takes the same plunge.

Overheard at the airport bar: "What's your cheapest whiskey?... I'll take that and close out."

So that's how you choose to start your MDW?

Only in the Midwest. 

Round 2.

Here we go again with bar prep. Sometimes I wonder how I will handle prepping for the bar and work again. Especially because stats just confirmed CA as the hardest bar in the nation. The state I just passed, IL, is #32. That's 31 spots I have to successfully jump. This is no small feat.

Add managing 3 externs and making sure everything goes smooth at work... I think my word of the summer is going to be BREATHE.

No matter how tough it will be, I know it is the right decision. I will have to take the bar if I ever want to get back to California. So... I might as well do it while all the info is fresher in my memory.

Wish me luck. 

Music Monday: Pretty Lights.

Just a little sample from the new Pretty Lights. If you don't know of or have never seen Pretty Lights live, then you need to change that. Need to.

Swell Faves.

Just a few of my faves from the most recent Swell catalog.











What can I say? You can take the girl out of the surf shop but you can't take the surf shop out of the girl...

One Year.

Today marks the first anniversary of my moving 3/4 across the country to this place by myself.



It has been an amazing year. One in which I've learned so much about life and myself. I can't wait to see what the next year has in store... Hopefully it will be a shorter winter. (It was in the 40s this week.)

I Have Never Been So Excited For Thanksgiving To Come.

A Good Gold One.

I have an amazing silver cuff... Just needed a good gold one.

Enter today's Lucky Magazine's Steal of the Day.




For $27.50. Done.

Copy Cat.

You know those people that are just effortlessly cool? The ones who always pull off a look, look put put together, are always ahead of the trend. One of my friends from high school is one of those people. Good news, she works in the fashion industry and is spreading the good style.

So, I mention this because I totally just copied/was inspired by her. Saw a pic of her wearing this and she shared the wealth with wear I could get it.



Ordered in less than 5 minutes flat. I think that's a record.

Thursday.

Talk about a pretty good Thursday... Sworn in and picked up a license... Happy Hour with an old sorority sister who also picked up the same license... Ending with homemade truffle parmesan popcorn, Grey's Anatomy, and a limited edition Stone that made it all the way to Chicago! Yes fuxking please.

When I'm excited to tell my friend I got a promotion and she responds with "I thought you were engaged"...

myfriendsaremarried:

Seriously. This has happened to me more than once. When will you guys learn?

Happiness is working with this "office" view.

Good people.

Upon getting my life back after the bar, I celebrated with some of my favorite people.

I came home to this gorgeous face after the bar...

Aren't I a lucky girl? :)
I truly am and we had a great weekend together. I love my J.

___

The next weekend I went to NYC to spend some time with these lovebirds...




















Any time I get to spend with my undergrad guys and their girls is my favorite. I am so glad we have all remained so close over the past decade and that we get the opportunity to visit when we are all spread so far apart.

And I also got a chance to catch up with the always fun Pat D. and meet his adorable GF.

___

Then came St. Patty's Day and some catching up with one of the great friends I am taking away from law school...

The good thing is that we recovered from Friday celebrations with my faves Abby and Kyle in time to celebrate on the actual St. Patty's day and missed the Saturday shitshow (Clark St. had police barricades to protect drunks from falling in the street).
___

The next weekend I got the opportunity to spend some QT with my awesome bro and sis-in-law.

We are always together at big family events so it was great to spend some time just the three of us. 

___

The following weekend I was entertained by watching this gorgeous face all weekend...

But got away enough to do my random holiday celebrations with this girl...

Brunch and Picasso. Pretty good Easter if you ask me. 

___

And last night I went out with my Chicago gay BF and his gay BF and great BFF. Great times!

p.s. If you live in the Chicago area and are in need of a great esthetician, I will share him with you. He's great... Don't trust me? Trust Refinery 29. He's the first one they list. 

___

I am lucky to have so many good people in my life. Whatever the greater powers may be, thank you. I am blessed. 

Music Monday: It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year....

My next two weekends will be filled with music, good people, and most importantly... HEAT!

Yes, I am not quite sure how my body will reach to temps over 40 degrees and the sun, but I am willing to test it out.



COACHELLA here I come...

p.s. This is a very special year for Coachella and I... Celebrating 10 years together! :)

Esq.

So, I received my results this week... AND I am finally part of the club!



Found out on Wednesday and my coworkers took me out on an impromptu bar crawl, drinks on Thursday with more coworkers, and celebrated last night some more. Working on making up for the months of being boring prepping for the bar...

"Let me tell you a secret... you're not photogenic."

- Uncle Si.

Just Can't Do It.

So do you remember or know of those items that everyone has them? When I was in college it was the LV print bags, Tiffany's mesh ring, and the Juicy sweat suits to name a few. When something becomes that big, I can't get the item regardless of how much I actually like it. For the record, I never got any of the aforementioned items (I only actually liked the Tiffany mesh ring).

These boots by Steve Madden are the prime examples of one of those items.



They are so simple and beautiful that every girl I know has them. So, of course, I could not get them. It's silly and stupid, but I just can't do it.

So I found these beauties on sale from StyleMint and instantly fell in love.

Source: shoemint.com via Lauren on Pinterest

So excited! I have been looking for a classic style similar to the Steve Maddens for a few years. I hope these babies are as pretty in person as they are online...

Music Monday.

Saw one of my all time favorite episodes ("Run") of one of my all time favorite shows (Criminal Minds) this week.

The ending gets me every time. The song is beautiful.

"As It Seems" by Lily Kershaw.

Oh Stella.

I love all things Stella McCartney. Correction: *loved.

And then she decided these were the perfect compliment to her Fall 2013 RTW collection on the runway.

Why, Stella?!?! Why?!?!

P.S. If you like these, I've got a few pairs of Rocket Dogs to sell you.

Celebrating The Bar.

With Duck Dynasty and a great beer... When in Rome.

A Much Needed Oscars Study Break.

Confession.

I had never seen Les Miserables the play before seeing the movie. After the first few minutes I almost walked out (mostly due to Russell Crowe’s singing).

After the movie, I figured I just didn’t get it. I thought I just wasn’t cut out to be a classy “of the arts” person.

Tonight, I rewound the performance and admit, I am a fan. It took a while, but the amazing cast won me over.



p.s. I am still not, nor will I ever be, classy. That’s a lost cause.

p.p.s. Did anyone see Aaron Tveit strut on that stage like he owned it? I hope to do that to the bar this week.

So Simple.

J sent me a link to this video. It blew my mind. If you have been under a rock and don't know of The XX then welcome to the light!



So friggin' simple, yet amazingly beautiful.

I have been a fan of them for years. The intro to their last album is hands down one of my favorites. The ukelele in the intro makes me think of being on Hawaii, just chillin'. What can be better than that feeling?

Can't wait to see these kids at Coachella.

Just A Little Something To Make You :)

This show.

Gets me every time. I can't tell you how many times I have watched this.

Be careful with the hearts that love you - family, friends, romanticals.

And chearish the time you have with those you love.



Such a great season finale!

Lately.

This is my life lately. Well figuratively. If I showed you what it looked like really, it would be much scarier.

There is a reason for this solitude and the relative silence on here. The Bar. Posts will be sparse, if at all, until 5:00 p.m. on February 27th, 2013.

Wish me luck.

Disclaimer: Despite, the picture above being underwater, and my being behind ("underwater") on the barbri schedule, I am actually in good spirits. I do not mean this to be a depressing post. Thanks Sister for the call in case it was. Love you INFINITY!

I actually think the picture is beautiful. Does that mean I am dark? Oh well. Bigger things to tackle right now.

My Blood Is Thickening.

Where this used to be me...



Now - I was stoked when the daily high rose above freezing. I guess I am officially getting used to proper winter weather.

Skunk?

Excuse me, but in what world is wearing skunk considered fashionable?

Anyone else see a few similarities besides me? Let me count them: (1) Both are imaginary characters. (2) Both have inflated senses of self-importance. (3) Both will trample anything in their way to get what they want.... I could go on forever. 

On a side note... God help the Kimye baby. Forget saving for college - this kid needs therapy. I am sure (s)he has already seen or heard some sh^& that a fetus shouldn't. 

Hope everyone had a safe and awesome New Years Eve. Here's to 2013...