V is for Voyage

Ciao Bella!!!

2009-09-07T19:41:00.000-07:00

I'm leaving for Italy tomorrow!!

My itinerary is as follows:

September 8 - fly to Rome

September 9 - 11 Rome

September 11 - 13 Cinque Terre

September 13 - 16 Florence and Chianti

September 16 - 18 Venice

September 18 - 20 Sardinia

September 20 - 22 Rome

September 22 - fly home

Bring on Leonardo and Michaelangelo! Bring on the wine, cheese and scooter riding!

Summer Lovin'

2009-08-25T12:04:00.000-07:00

One of the hardest things about graduating from college was coming to terms with the end of the annual "summer vacation." There's still something inside me that equates summer with sleeping in, visiting new places, and general all around relaxation. While I'm not a teacher nor a student and therefore I don't have a true and official "summer vacation," I had a pretty fantastic one this year.

Because I work in an industry that is tied to the school system, summer time is a time without business travel. Because Daniel's schedule is also dictated by the school system, he too was on a different schedule for the summer. The result is time spent together, which sadly, is quite a luxury for us throughout 9 months of the year. This summer, I got a double bonus - my boyfriend AND my best friend, as Jessica came to live with me for 6 weeks.

I said a tearful goodbye to Jessica 2 weeks ago and I, in a sense, said goodbye to Daniel yesterday. When glorious June, July and August rolled around, I realized just how much of a lone wolf I'd become and spending time with those who I love the most brought me back to life. Spending my days with people who make me laugh and who are kind, genuine, spontaneous, adventurous and so even keeled was incredibly refreshing. As I think about my farewell to summer (though here in the Central Valley the summer temperatures linger til October), I am beyond melancholy and can't help but feel nostalgic. But, instead of remaining sad, I've decided to think back fondly on the people and experiences that have made this one of the best summers of my life...

* i saw the entire west coast from the front seat of a car, with my best friend beside me

* i made some not so nutritional choices that tasted soooo good

* i witnessed mt. rainier on of it 90 days of visibility

* i ate oysters and clams and fish til i burst

* i played in the ocean... over and over again

* i watched fireworks with my feet in the sand

* i sang karaoke with all my might

* i line danced

* i made peach cobbler from scratch

* i shopped the farmer's market in the sunshine

* i traded shoes with a 4 year old

* i caught up with old friends on a horse ranch

* i played wii mario party for hours on end

* i teased my parents over board games

* i sipped wine and gulped homemade sangria

* i pet a sea slug

* i pet a donkey

* i hiked

* i saved a banana slug

* i bravely shed 12 inches of my hair

* i learned to play tennis

* i went on bike rides

* i was perplexed by the mystery spot

* i finally created the room i've been dreaming of for years

* i drank my morning coffee by the pool

* i walked and ran with marley

* i spent too much money

* i slept too late

* i spent wonderful quality time with my mom

* i enjoyed hours of girl talk

* i dreamed about the future

* i ate a frozen lemonade at a dodger game

* i cheered at an outdoor concert

* i danced

* i played minigolf

* i took pictures

* i ate A LOT of ice cream

* i laughed and laughed and laughed and laughed

* i took the time to understand my relationship better

* i fell more deeply in love

I'd say, that's a pretty sweet summer :)

breakfast of champions

2009-08-21T10:56:00.001-07:00

I'm on a Quinoa kick. I've had it for 3 days in a row, in different ways and I don't see any sign of stopping!

This morning, I enjoyed the delicious, protein packed super food for breakfast. Here's what I made (I apologize; there are no pictures and I speak in handfuls, not in teaspoons - bear with me.)

Bring 1/3 cup dry Quinoa (this is one serving)

a couple sprinkles of cinnamon and

a handful of dried cranberries to boil in 2/3 cup water in a saucepan (dried apricots are great too!), then simmer until water is absorbed (about 10 - 15 mins).

With a fork, stir in a couple chunks of brown sugar to taste and a handful of toasted, slivered almonds. Top with a splash of soy milk.

Breakfast is served!

change

2009-08-10T12:00:00.000-07:00

... i just thought it was time for one

you'll have to excuse the poor lighting and dorky smile. it's hard to be sly in the cube.

your eyes don't deceive you... my hair really IS that short!

Favorites

2009-08-10T11:29:00.000-07:00

As Jessica's time in California began to come to a close, we hurried to do all the things that were still left to do while she was in town. While our list included some pretty ridiculous things (like trying to color my dog's hair with Kool-Aid) we also had some pretty big events in mind. One of my "must-do's" was spending time in Half Moon Bay with one of my best friends from college. Last week, Daniel remembered that he had asked for some days off so we decided to all take advantage of the situation and take an impromptu vacation to the bay.

We took a beautiful drive to Santa Cruz to visit the infamous Mystery Spot

Which proved to be a mysteriously hilarious trip... these faces are a pretty accurate indicator of what we thought of our tour

We took a leisurely hike through the hills behind Amy's house

And arrived at this view

There was a lot of Catch Phrase, Mario Party and Wii American Idol accompanied by good wine and even better laughs. We relaxed, caught up on celebrity gossip and spent wayyy too many hours in comfy pants. We chowed on sea food, enjoyed the ocean breeze and beautiful scenery. It was truly rejuvenating to share such a wonderful time with my most favorite people!

And as we left, this banana slug gave us a most pleasant send off :)

My kind of summer weekend

2009-07-30T12:13:00.000-07:00

The past 4 weeks have been full of fun adventure and plenty of hustling and bustling. From my roadtrip with Jessica from Seattle to Avila Beach, a 4th of July weekend on the coast, a concert in Berkeley, a day in Monterey, a weekend with our amiga Amber in Long Beach and a mini road trip down to a San Diego horse ranch, Jess, Dan and I have been BUSY and we decided that last weekend was going to be a slow one... well sort of.

We decided to stay close to home for some R&R. Who wouldn't want to kick off the weekend with Friday night karaoke at a local dive??? My mom, Jess, Daniel and I loved the people watching and even sang a few tunes ourselves :)

Saturday morning, I perused the local farmers market and munched on figs, the sweetest corn on the cob and a plum tart with my sweety all morning long. The afternoon was reserved for my favorite pastime - sunbathing with homemade white sangria! Around 6 pm we fired up the grill for our Chipotle burgers with pepper jack, roasted corn and homemade peach crisp. It was old fashioned family time in the pool til well after the sun went to sleep.

What's a summer Sunday without baseball? My dad took Daniel, Jess and I to a Dodger game for a swelteringly wonderful day game. Dodger dogs, garlic fries, frozen lemonade and a soft pretzel were all part of the day as well as our sweet Manny hat.

The 3 amigos. My favorite people on earth. Yes, she's eating his hair

Thanks Dad!

beat the heat with a jellyfish!

2009-07-15T10:04:00.000-07:00

Back in April, I bought 3 tickets (knowing that Jessica would be here visiting) to see Death Cab for Cutie at the Greek in Berkeley. Saturday, it was finally time to rock out - and get out of the valley heat! Despite a fierce cold that plagued Jessica and me, we were determined to have a fabulous time. On Saturday, Jess, Daniel and I (we're becoming quite the fun filled triple threat:) drove to Berkeley for the concert. We took advantage of our early arrival and our general admission tickets and sneaked our way into the pit and staked a killer spot. Ra Ra Riot and Andrew Bird were the openers (both very pleasant surprises). There were no cameras allowed so I have no pictures of the show, which exceeded all of our expectations!

We crashed in Half Moon Bay at my friend Amy's house, though she was gone for the weekend :( The next day, we had a lot of couching, sneezing and runny noses, but we refused to let that hinder a good time. We took the long way home... via Monterey.

None of us had been to the aquarium in the recent past and we figured it was time for a visit. Just in time for the "Secret Life of Sea Horses" Exhibit in fact!

The Splash Zone

Sea Anemones

I'm kind of obsessed with jellyfish, though I know - first hand- how painful their sting is

Touch Tank

I love these little guys!!

This is a Sea Horse!! Look at that camouflage!

Everyone's favorite Monterey attraction

Minus the stuffy nose, the day was perfect :)

It's the sweetest thing...

2009-07-14T13:20:00.000-07:00

... when he sends flowers "just because"

Monster Mini Golf

2009-07-14T11:16:00.000-07:00

On Friday night, Daniel, Jess and I pondered our options for entertainment. We were headed for Berkeley for a concert the next day but still wanted to have fun that evening. We'd been talking about checking out the miniature golf place near Daniel's apartment. It's all indoors and it's played up with cheesy black lights - so fun! We were also craving some quality time with his sister so what better way to welcome the weekend than with the coolest 17 year old girl around, some pizza and flashy neon lights?

Daniel kept score... Convenient that he and Nikki beat me and Jessica...

What's Mini Golf without a giant Saturday Night Fever Gorilla?

I'm such a freak for a DDR dance off!

Daniel and Jessica won tickets from a trivia game and we cashed out for these awesome shades

ready, set, SUMMER!

2009-07-09T10:28:00.001-07:00

For six months, I've been anticipating my business trip to Seattle. Not only do I absolutely love that city, but my best friend Jessica was to meet me there and we'd begin the drive south on the coast to start our summer. The big summer kickoff couldn't have been more amazing - beautiful scenery, thoughtful conversation, painfully intense laughter, and even some fireworks...

Before leaving Seattle, we had a great dinner on the Sound (I promise I haven't gained 70 lbs, it's just the sweater...)

And what's a trip to Seattle without a Space Needle visit and the Experience Music Project?

View from the Space Needle

Entrance at the Experience Music Project

Tribute to MJ

I'm such a lover of Mr. Frank Gehry!

After the sightseeing, we headed for Portland!

Mt. Rainier, only visible 90 days of the year - we got lucky!

In Portland, we stayed with one of Jessica's best friends from high school, the lovely Carrie. We tore it up at Karaoke in downtown Portland!

Heading west to the Oregon Coast was so green!

After 2 hours of winding road, we hit this...

We stopped at a Fred Meyer in Dunes City, OR to get gas and pick up some more road trippin' tunes

Just behind the Fred Meyer, I saw this

We made it through the entire state that day, and were able to watch the sunset over the breathtaking coast.

We made it to Eureka that night and crashed at a Super 8 along the highway next to this

The next day, we passed through the Redwood forest

Then we followed the highway back to this

It was wonderful to stop and take pictures whenever we were inclined

Jess has a bit of a fear of heights and with the road often inches from a cliff, leading to the sea below, I drove most of the way

But all was well because Jess' car is a trooper :)

After the redwoods and craggy rocks we came upon a familiar sight

And after 21 hours of being on the open road, 2 delirious ladies pulled up to the good ol' Ocean Canyon Resort in Avila Beach at 11:00 at night. We spent the weekend basking in the sun, laughing and dancing at Harry's, eating roasted corn and petting baby calves at Avila Valley Barn and dodging bird poop on the seashore

The road trip was one of the best trips of my life and something that I have always wanted to do. We took our time and didn't allow ourselves to be stressed about a schedule or "should be doings" and we reaped the incredible benefits of relaxed patience. But after the 3 days of scenic travel, it was so wonderful to arrive home to him :)

He likes to wear my clothes sometimes

flash back to bcn

2009-06-18T13:24:00.000-07:00

When I lived in Barcelona, I did a lot of meandering... I mean A LOT!! It was my favorite thing to do alone, or with others. While we walked the secret alleys and cobblestone streets, my friends and I often came across an incredible street performer with a warm smile and a guitar. His name was Clarence and we got to know and appreciate him as the background music to the city we loved so much.

After my study program was over, my parents came to visit and we explored together. I remember my last day in Barcelona, I was shopping with mom and dad. We were running late for our flight, emotions, tensions and the summer heat were high and I got upset with them over something... of course I don't remember now exactly what about. With a melancholy desire to just be alone as I said goodbye to the city I loved so much, I ran a bit ahead of my parents toward the metro. As I descended the stairs to the sweltering underground station, I heard the most familiar guitar strumming and a soulful voice singing Tracy Chapman's Fastcar. I didn't walk swiftly, I RAN toward the music, through filthy hallways and past bustling commuters. When I found him with his bouncing dread locks, flowing linen shirt and pants, and his blindingly bright white teeth, the bustling quieted and I stood still to listen. And as I listened, tears ran down my cheeks, I began to cry, then I began to sob. It's cheesy, but I feel like he knew as I faced him with the most overwhelming sadness in my eyes.

A friend sent me this beautiful video today. Sure enough, guess who it was. While it looks as though he's on the move throughout Europe, I again got a little teary eyed to see that Clarence is still bringing inspiration to passers by. Hope you enjoy!

Playing For Change | Song Around The World "Stand By Me" from Concord Music Group on Vimeo.

Spring Party

2009-06-18T13:12:00.000-07:00

When you sell butterflies, spring is THE BUSY TIME!! With every teacher in the country wanting to grow their own caterpillars in the same 3 month period, life at Insect Lore gets pretty crazy. My boss likes to celebrate the end of the madness with an annual Spring Party. He and I came up with a fun idea that would be a little different than what our employees are used to. I chartered a bus for the crew down to L.A. and we spent the evening in a VIP suite at Lucky Strike with the swankiest bowling around!

Our Suite

Don't let the form fool you, I'm awful!

Unlike me, this boy can BOWL

Company shot

BLAST!

on the road

2009-06-01T13:57:00.000-07:00

I didn't have much planned for last weekend except for this lovely lady's graduation party. But on Saturday morning, I was nudged awake by the faint vibrations of my cell phone. I pulled out my psychedelic tie dye ear plugs and spoke a husky morning hello. Daniel replied, "Get up! I'll be there in 30 minutes, we're going on a road trip!"

I wasn't excited to be awake, but I was excited for the spontaneous trip. He picked me up and whisked me to the Red Wagon - the perfect little greasy spoon to start the day off! Over french toast and much needed coffee, I asked where we were going - "Oakdale!" he said.

While I often say that Daniel and I grew up together, which we did to a certain extent, much of his childhood was spent in Oakdale and Waterford up in Stanislaus County. I've always found it strange how I seem to know him better than anyone, yet have never been exposed to that part of his life. I was so excited and so touched to finally be experiencing this milestone.

And with full tummies, we were off! We stopped at Flying J truck stop for gas and waters. We saw several cars that looked like this

and I remembered what day it was. The Saturday after the Prop 8 decision was made was designated as the day to Meet in the Middle. The rally was to either celebrate a victory or protest an injustice (sadly, it was the latter), depending on the outcome of the Supreme Court decision. The rally was to take place in Fresno. It has been said that this issue will be won or lost in Central California, where conservative politics reign supreme. For this reason and to symbolize the importance of compromise, Meet in the Middle was held at Fresno City Hall. Daniel and I decided we had to drive by to witness it on our way.

We hopped on the 99 and headed on up, til our next stop near Pixley. We happened upon a random car show and bought a $5 bag of cherries for $4.50 (which Daniel was VERY excited about)

a magenta bug thrown in with classic cars - sure

showin' some love

Next stop, a drive by of the Meet in the Middle Rally at Fresno City Hall,

then we were Oakdale/Waterford bound

As the grass got greener, the temperature went down and the cows became more plentiful, I could see Daniel getting more and more excited to be going home. I got see his

Elementary School where he and his best friend got beat up for the first time

Junior High

and one of his 4 high schools (Oakdale High, he says, is Varsity Blues in real life)

He showed me this random small town gem

I saw where he met his childhood best friend, Matt on Halloween 19 years ago (they met on the sidewalk by the fence that separated their two houses)

I saw where he held his first job (though I told him that Papa Murphy's is a chain and is therefore not THAT cool)

We checked out the Armory where his Grandfather worked and where Daniel learned to drive a Hummer at 6 years old

We drove by his uncle's dairy

down the aptly named "Vierra Lane"

We stopped to smell the roses along the Oakdale-Waterford Hwy

and stopped by the Bait Barn (which apparently is really cool because it's open 24 hours!)

Daniel showed me where his beloved Grandpa and Grandma (Pop and Grammy as they're known) lived. I am so sad that I never got to meet them, but I love to listen to Daniel and his family tell stories of how special they were and how much they loved their kids and grand kids.

One of the biggest highlights was stopping for lunch at the very famous Fararesee's with Daniel's childhood best friend Matt, his fiance Stephanie and baby Talula (don't you just LOVE that name?!). I don't know how I managed to not get a picture of them. I was slacking... I've heard stories about Matt for over 10 years, but had never met him. I was so excited to finally be a part of Daniel's life in that way. We laughed and Matt and Daniel enjoyed a much needed reunion.

We went a little crazy toward the end of the trip. Sitting in the car for 8 hours gets tiresome for even the hardest of hardcore roadies, but we had the most wonderful time. I was quizzed on where we'd been and what we had seen. And I quizzed Daniel on the confusing timeline of his childhood. We discussed the ups and downs of a somewhat tumultuous time in his life, but as he always does, Daniel brought it back to laughter.

Childhood, for anyone is such a sensitive subject and reveals the most open and unresolved wounds in a person's life. It also is the topic of the most nostalgia and joyful simplicity. I felt so honored to have the man I love take me on this journey of such emotional complexity and to show me some of the things that have meant the most to him. It is a great thing when you can find ways to learn even more about your best friend :)

Memorial Day

2009-05-26T11:22:00.000-07:00

Memorial Day weekend has long been a big event in my house. Every year, the fun begins when the infamous Uncle Jimmy arrives from L.A. on Friday afternoon. From that moment on, we eat, drink and are merry! There's lots of sunning, cocktails, pool volleyball, food, friends and LAUGHS! The anticipation of this weekend builds for months in advance and I look forward to the commencement of summer and being surrounded by the ones I love the most.

I'm terrible at remembering to take photos, but here are a couple highlights

saturday was completely devoted to the sun! here's jimmy feeling triumphant after fixing a broken umbrella

after a long day of laying out, mom, jimmy and i made larb (one of my favorite thai dishes) and grilled veggies for dinner

sunday was another day of sun as we prepared for our bbq that night. here's daniel and me chilling poolside after a competitive game of pool volleyball

and of course my baby was a part of the festivities :)

sunday night was a doozy with a game of poker, a pitcher of vodka slushy lemonade, homemade ice cream and a lot of friends and family time. the next day, daniel and i nursed the exhaustion with this while my mom watched and laughed

and now, it's back to BOOTCAMP!!!

taggerific!

2009-05-20T10:54:00.001-07:00

I didn't realize that I had been tagged by lovely Olive Oyl when I posted my last blog. I apologize for repeating a couple things.

eight things i'm looking forward to

1. this weekend with sunshine, my pool, and some FABULOUS people

2. having my best friend and soul mate by my side all summer!

3. spending 2 weeks eating, drinking and exploring in italy with my momma

4. enjoying the beautiful scenery from Seattle to Shafter - road trip!!

5. my post boot camp bod. the running mileage is seriously increasing!

6. experiencing my first taste of garlic ice cream at the garlic festival

7. getting in touch with nature and my childhood while camping in yosemite

8. reconnecting with daniel on a daily basis - going to the gym, doing projects, shopping, napping, swimming. his summer schedule is the best!

eight things i did yesterday

1. visited my favorite cousin and her 4 beautiful children

2. split a hot fudge sundae with daniel

3. nursed a sick puppy

4. daydreamed about doing what i love

5. took a looooong lunch

6. teased my mom about her orthopedic shoes that i secretly wear around the house

7. was stressed by the stress of the one that i love

8. sweat buckets at boot camp

eight things i wish i could do

1. go on an 18 month long travel adventure around the world

2. eat ice cream every single day and not see the effects on my hips

3. somehow discover the perfect, most flattering bathing suit at a super low price

4. find a way to do what i love, in a place that i love, with the one that i love

5. have my dear friends from around the country all close by

6. read much much faster

7. learn to relax and release my anxiety

8. finally be rid of the toe fungus that has plagued my life for so long - don't judge me :)

eight shows i watch

1. the office

2. 30 rock

3. southland

4. the biggest loser

5. american idol

6. law & order SVU

7. what not to wear

8. the fashion show (only intermittently as it comes on at the same time as southland. grr)

what's to come

2009-05-18T12:08:00.000-07:00

With temperatures hitting the triple digits this week, it seems that my favorite time of year is upon us! Here are some things that I am soooo looking forward to this summer:

annual Memorial Day Backyard BBQ weekend with Uncle Jimmy and friends
Angie's well deserved and much anticipated graduation party
company spring party in LA
Seattle in June
road trip from Seattle to Shafter with Jess
living with my best friend all summer long
4th of July bash
a great tan :)
Death Cab for Cutie concert in Berkeley
VEGAS with Jess, Amber and Amy!!
Gilroy Garlic Festival with Christopher Ranch's own Amber Oliveira
checking out the new Grimway Dodger seats
camping and hiking in Yosemite
crazy concert double header - Kings of Leon and Vans Warped Tour in LA
spending time with my love Monday through Sunday and celebrating a wonderful year together!!! (Yay for his summer schedule!)

Let the fun begin!

mamma

2009-05-11T11:00:00.000-07:00

I love this lady, my biggest fan, my best friend, my mom

Yesterday, she helped me and Daniel make this for his special mom. No Ace of Cakes, but we tried :)

The glorious after

2009-05-07T16:19:00.000-07:00

My mother and I have been slaving over this office project since last week. I had to take a short hiatus from our project to fly to Phoenix for work, but on the day of my return, our floor beautiful laminate was installed and I took the rest of the day off to put the pieces back together.

The before pictures were taken 2 weekends ago and sadly don't do the mess much justice. When Daniel snapped these pictures on his iphone, we were saying "wow, it looks so open and spacious! Already so much better." That should give you an idea of the horrible clutter that had already been cleared out. Any open space you see below was filled with SOMETHING!!

BEFORE

classy peeling linoleum

my mom's former desk in it's hunter green glory... look for this in the "after" pictures

my dad's desk and a perfect example of Zack's "wall art"

AFTER

I LOVE the floor!

We desperately needed a place for a guest to stay so we decided to fit a some sleeping space into the office. Here's the bed partially put together (white cup in place:)

and completed (except for bedding)

There are cute baskets underneath for extra storage!

We reused an old bookshelf we already had. I gave it a fresh coat of white and used mod podge to decorate the backing with scrapbook paper.

My dad's desk was a steal from a local second hand furniture store. It has great modern lines and is solid wood. We sanded the 80's stain down and painted it the same color as the brown accent wall.

My mom's old desk was a HUGE "L" shaped desk with three pieces bolted together. We took them apart, discarded 2/3 and reused one section and a hutch. It looks great with my favorite chair and new knobs!

Still don't believe your eyes?? Come by and see it!! With all the extra space, we were even able to fit the piano in too. We still have a lot to put back into place (I just restocked the bookshelf last night), a filthy window to wash and curtains to put up. BUT, what an improvement, right? It'll all be done for the annual Memorial Day BBQ with Jimmy!

Feeling Clean

2009-04-27T11:33:00.000-07:00

The office in my parent's house has always been a dark and frightening abyss of papers, ancient files, failed projects, dust, grime and despair. For the longest time, when my mom and I would clean the house, we'd just close the door to the office as if it wasn't even a part of the house. But, with my brother and I both back at home for now (please, God, not much longer!), we have no place for guests to sleep (mostly Uncle Jimmy and Daniel). Back in January, with the inspiration of a new year fueling our fire, my mom and I began the plans for our complete office renovation.

The clearing out of the room has been the most daunting and our living and dining rooms are feeling the brunt of it. So many times we were discouraged by "what IS this?" or "what am I supposed to do with this?" Two computers, three desks, a trombone, 2 microphones, some exercise bands, an accordion, and about 300 pounds of paper later, we managed to get everything out. This week, we began the "fun" stuff - stripping and painting our recycled desks, washing, spackling and painting walls, ripping up linoleum, upholstering a found chair... you name it...

I'm not too diligent about taking pictures, but I did manage to take this one before and after of my mom's new desk chair which was a steal from the Insect Lore Warehouse Sale (it came as a set with a dining room table and 3 other chairs for $25!!! I guess it used to be in my boss' house)

what a gem!

so fresh and so clean!! (we're doing muted blue, chocolate and white in the room)

Hopefully in the next week, I'll have a complete before and after!! Trust me, it'll be astonishing! (I hope :)

My My My

2009-04-24T10:39:00.000-07:00

... it's been a looooong time! The biggest reason why I'm so bad at posting new blogs is because I'm infinitely impatient when it comes to waiting for pictures to upload. We all know how much more entertaining a blog with pictures is. I HATE to be that boring blog with no visual aides. That said, I was tagged by a lovely lady and had to post a picture of myself as it, at this moment...

SURPRISE!

I cut my hair! Not just like a trim, but more like 7 inches!!! I did it just before Easter and I must say I feel lighter, brighter and sassy :) I've always heard that a girl will cut her hair when she's good and ready, but now that I've done it, I can't imagine why I was holding onto my lifeless locks for so long.

(Just like Olive Oyl stipulated - no primping here, just a little casual Friday in the office after a morning run. I'm SUCH a good employee)

(This picture however, did take some preparation and think I look pretty hot :)

My Birfday came just a little early!!!

2009-03-04T20:56:00.000-08:00

After I finished my study abroad program in Barcelona, my parents came to visit me in Spain. The plan was to visit Greece together, then return to Barcelona and show them around the city, then my mom and I were to be off to Italy for 2 weeks. Well, as many of you know, my dad had his first heart attack just after our visit to Greece. The time spent in Barcelona was tweaked accordingly and the trip to Italy was nixed all together. For the past 3 years, my dad has said that he "owes" my mom and me a trip to Italy. Suuuure dad, you really OWE me, you and your crazy, unpredictable heart attack.

Well, I.O.U. or not, my mom bought two plane tickets to Italy today! Come September, she and I are off to Rome, Florence, Cinque Terre, and Venice for 2 weeks!!! My birthday isn't for another week, but this could be the best one yet :)

CIAO!

New York Cit - ayyyyy

2009-03-04T20:20:00.001-08:00

Yes, I've been home from New York for over a week, but it seems that this life thing just never stops and blogging, while a total gas, has taken a back seat. We took 2 cameras and of course some pictures haven't even been saved to my computer. YOu'll have to stay tuned to see more highlight photos. Anyway, on to the fun stuff...

New York was awesome!! So much fun and even more exhausting. I didn't have a minute - make that a second to get over jet lag. Daniel and I flew in to Newark, delayed several hours because of strong winds and the horrible plane crash the day before! (Just awesome for poor Daniel who is petrified to fly). We hit the ground running and met my very dear friend Eileen in Midtown East for a fantastic dinner at Mia Dona (which is owned by some big wig whose last name I can't even pronounce). Eileen and Daniel hit it off, which I knew they would. I hadn't seen Eileen in a horrendous amount of time; since last June when we took our Vegas trip!

From that dinner on, it was nonstop action. Setting up the booth at the biggest industry event in the country (arguably the world) was nerve racking, or so I thought. Then I began to actually work the booth and would occasionally take a peek at the person's badge in front of me and see their renowned company's name and think "I am SOOOOO not qualified to be talking to him/her..." But I think I did well and more importantly, my boss thinks I did well. So I guess I passed the test of Toy Fair.

I also passed the test of the 40th Anniversary party which was held at TOWN in Midtown East. The invitations were incredible, the venue was great, the drinks were awesome and the reviews... well, I don't want to toot my own horn... :) It was quite difficult to get up the next morning and work the booth, but I figured, it's NYC, I'll sleep when I'm dead.

Rather than regale you with every moment of every day, I think I'll give some highlights:

1) Dinner with Eileen at Mia Dona

2) Daniel's Birthday dinner at Gramercy Tavern - the most perfect evening!

3) Valentine's Day atop the Empire State Building - soooo Sleepless in Seattle

4) The success of the 40th anniversary party

(getting a little crazy with the W hotel's mini bar after the party

5) The street hot dog and pretzel that Dan and I shared after our disappointment with the "heavy" appetizers

6) Wicked on broadway

7) Lunch with Eileen at Le Cirque

8) Realizing we got in on the Restaurant Week menu at Le Cirque!!

9) FINALLY meeting Eileen's boyfriend (they've been together over a year!)

10) Having successful chats with several big time buyers

(obviously, I do very serious work)

11) Walking the floor of Toy Fair and playing with some pretty fun stuff.

(this is one of Dan's favorites - Yes! That is an action figure!)

12) Our swanky hotel - the W New York Times Square

(this was right outside)

13) The farewell dinner with the whole crew at the NYC restaurant staple - Gotham Bar and Grill

14) Late night cupcakes at Magnolia Bakery

(Carrie and the girls would be proud!)

14) Taking pictures with Daniel on the Brooklyn Bridge (I think this was my favorite over all)

(I realize this is a little blurry but I liked it)

No, I didn't freeze to death

2009-02-11T16:40:00.000-08:00

... I've just been intensely busy since my return from the windy city. Yes, it was cold, as I anticipated. A couple of days delivered high temperatures around 7 degrees and even at my most bundled, I seemed to be nearly escaping frost bite. I've definitely seen a better side of Chicago.

Between the frigid weather, frustrating and offensive teachers, and having all of my booth money (around $1,500) stolen, I left a little jaded. Maybe that's why I haven't said hello in nearly a month.

On to more exciting things!

I'm leaving for New York in only two days!! My flight leaves Friday morning, much earlier than it should. But nonetheless, I am so excited to get this show on the road. There are so many elements to this trip that are making my toes tingle in anticipation. First of all, it's NEW YORK CITY! duh. Second of all, I get to be there on Valentine's Day with Daniel... forget Valentine's Day, I get to be with him the whole time!!

Thirdly and maybe most poignantly, I'm taking the trip for work. While, I'm not ecstatic about being locked inside a convention center until 6pm every evening, the professional aspect brings some attractive qualities to the equation. Sure it's nice that I don't have to pay for transportation, hotel or meals, but even more than that, it's the feeling of being a grown up. I know that sounds ridiculous, but "being in Manhattan on business" has a certain "big fish" ring to it (even though we all know once I step off that plane my "big fish" will turn to krill, figuratively speaking). But even so, I have a sense of accomplishment and pride associated with this trip.

I do trade shows all the time, but this one is the mother of them all, for the location, the pizzazz and for the money that is thrown around between people who say "do you have any idea who I am" far too often. I feel a bit like I'm coming into my own in a most unlikely situation (who knew it would come about by selling bugs?). I want to be an event coordinator and I actually am. And it's not just boring trade show booths and AV equipment this time, but rather a swanky venue, cocktails, hors d' oeuvres, flowers and the prettiest darn invitations you ever did see. For the company's 40th Anniversary party I've gotten to pay the closest attention to detail and it's made me stressed and very happy :)

It feels really good to say "When I grow up, I want to be..." and realize that I'm getting there.

P.S.

I know my blog is always lacking in the picture department, but after New York, I promise not to disappoint!

I've never been more afraid of the weather!!

2009-01-19T21:48:00.001-08:00

I'll be flying to Chicago tomorrow morning. I am frightened to say the least. The recent record lows (high of -9) are disconcerting to say the least especially for a girl who gets the chills when temperatures hit the 40's. Lucky for me, the windy city has been warming up a bit - today the high was 22. I'll be sure to write an update as soon as my fingers have thawed.

I'll be on the lookout for flocks of geese!

I'm about a week late

2009-01-08T10:19:00.001-08:00

I know the first week of January is already over and that any New Year's Resolutions should have been recorded and begun a week ago, but it's hard to make time to think about these things during the holiday rush. I've given myself a week to think about resolutions and it's a good thing, because ideas just keep coming to me! So here's my 2009 list thus far:

1.) Practice yoga 2x a week

2.) Get back into my routine of running 2-4 miles 4 times a week

3.) Go gluten free (this will undoubtedly be the HARDEST challenge! But, after discussing some health issues with my mom, we think it might be the evil culprit of some not-so-pleasant physical ailments) An occasional cheat with a biscuit at 24th street cafe with Daniel will work itself in :)

4.) Be debt free! I'm pretty close and that feels good, but I can't even imagine how awesome it will be to have it all gone :)

5.) Stay in touch more diligently with : Emily, Amy, Eileen, Andria, Jessica, Amber and Shaun

6.) Complete my home improvement projects in my room, my parent's office and (fingers crossed) Zack's room.

7.) Save enough money for my next trip. I am still undecided on the location or the time - maybe next fall (if I don't go back to school). The places I'm considering are Peru/Chile/Argentina, Eastern Europe - Czech Republic and Croatia, Thailand, or South Africa.

I'm sure I'll continue to add to this list as daydreaming is my favorite pastime. But, a week into 2009, this is where I stand.

A couple of things that I'm looking forward to in 2009:

1.) Spending an incredible week in New York City - staying at the W time square, eating at great restaurants, seeing Wicked on broadway, catching up with Eileen, ice skating in Rockefeller Center on Valentine's Day...

2.) Attending the Insect Lore 40th Anniversary soiree at Town in NYC

3.) Going to Philadelphia - a city I've never visited - and catching up with Bree and Kim, long lost Barcelona buddies.

4.) Flexing my creative muscles with the brand new Insect Lore visitor's center/museum and planning the grand opening in the spring!

5.) Watching the Jr. Miss girls blossom into confident young women and put on a great program in March.

6.) Going back to Seattle

7.) A road trip from Seattle to Shafter with my best friend Jessica!

8.) Having Jessica be a Toews for the summer!

9.) Seeing new places, tasting new flavors, meeting new people...

I'm excited about 2009!!

The door's NOT always open...

2008-12-29T11:55:00.000-08:00

Many of you know the policy at the Toews' house - the door is ALWAYS open. Even when it shouldn't be, like when we're not home or on a 2 week vacation. Well, that has changed! If you're on a walk and need a bathroom or if you'd just like to grab a snack on your way into Bakersfield, you can't just walk in anymore.

My parents recently had the front of our house repainted (the garage door is following soon, don't despair) so for Christmas, I decided to give my parents the accessories to complete the new look of the front of the house. Daniel and I picked out new house numbers, a new mailbox, porch light, door hardware and door stain. For the past 2 days, Daniel and I have been sanding and staining and screwing (haha, you know what I mean) and measuring... We thought we might not finish, at least not with our mental health still intact, but after some helpful tool loans from the Peters family and a LOT of patience, we finally got the door up last night. The stain is a dark walnut finish that goes very well with the new look of the house and the beautiful handle and dead bolt hardware came complete with 2 keys!!!

We will now be locking our door :) But don't worry, the door is still almost ALL glass so you can peak in to see my dad walking around in his underwear if you want.

BUSY Christmas!

2008-12-29T11:28:00.000-08:00

I always get a little melancholy after Christmas, especially when I have such a great one! This year was probably the busiest I've ever had - Daniel and I celebrated 5 Christmases in 2 days!! Yes, we were exhausted, not to mention stuffed - my waistline is most definitely feeling the effects.

On Christmas Eve, my family hosted my dad's side of the family for brunch, then I hurried to Daniel's mom's for lunch to celebrate with them, then we ran to Grandma Juanita's for the biggest Christmas we've had in a long time. We were around 35 this year including 2 first Christmases! It was baby heaven :) After breakfast, mimosas and opening presents on Christmas day, Dan and I were off again to his mom's for another large family affair. We spent the evening with the Peters clan then retired to my house for a rousing game of Texas Hold 'em with Zack and the Hooper brothers.

Santa was VERY good :) But God was even better. The holidays were definitely filled with a lot of love. As busy and as tired as I was, I was so happy to be surrounded by people that I love.

Christmas by the bay!

2008-12-08T15:42:00.000-08:00

One of my best friends who I met at UC Irvine lives in Half Moon Bay in northern California. Considering that Amy has been such a huge part of my life for the past 4 years, I thought it just absurd that she and Daniel hadn't met. A few months ago, I decided to rectify the situation and Daniel and I planned a trip to the bay area to spend the weekend with Amy and get into the holiday spirit.

Last Friday, Daniel and I left around 12:30 and headed to the quaint and beautiful little town of Half Moon Bay, home of the best Pumpkin Festival in the country (at least I think so). Friday night we popped open our first (of many) bottle of wine and began to chat, then took our little threesome to a new restaurant in town called Crab Landing. Daniel and I split some excellent Pacific oysters while Amy and sipped Lychee martinis. Not really in the mood to get dolled up and head to the city for a night out, we decided to go back to Amy's house for the evening. Amy shares an adorable little cabin with her mom, Peggy who has become one of my favorite people. Amy, Daniel, Peggy, Peggy's boyfriend Randy, Amy's friend Minnie and I popped bottle after bottle of red and white and cried with laughter as we played Apples to Apples until 2 in the morning.

The next morning, we awakened to a fresh pot of coffee (seriously necessary) and a fabulous breakfast casserole - did I mention how much I love Peggy? After taking our time eating, getting ready and enjoying a Britney Spears "documentary" on MTV, we headed to the city for a holiday adventure. We started at the Golden Gate Bridge, where most SF days begin. We were so thankful for the BEAUTIFUL weather. We couldn't have asked for a better day. After a great photo op, we ventured down Lombard Street to marvel at the crookedness and the gorgeous homes that align the famous block.

I had heard about a sandwich shop in San Francisco that was opened by everyone's favorite judge Chef Tom Colicchico called 'whichcraft. I was really excited to try it, but sad to say it wasn't as excellent as we had hoped, but we had a good laugh watching cops out the window as we prayed they wouldn't tow our illegally parked car. With full tummies we drove through fisherman's wharf along the Embarcadero and made our way to the ice skating rink near the ferry building on the water. Daniel had never ice skated before and I will admit that I was slightly excited to see him fall at least once. Sadly, he was a natural. We enjoyed a Rudy Galindo wannabe and giggled as we all imitated his graceful ice moves. After skating, it was already dark so we decided to head to Union Square to see the beautiful tree. All three of us animal lovers swooned over the puppies and kitties in the window at Macy's before we headed to the top to take in the view of Union Square. Annoyed with the 2 hour wait at the Cheescake Factory, we opted for a more adventurous approach. We followed the iphone to North Beach (Little Italy) where we happened upon a a Brazilian-Italian fusion restaurant, Mangarosa, which was TO DIE FOR! I had gnocchi, Amy had prawns in a pumpkin... really, and Daniel had short ribs that he could have cut with a spoon.

The next morning, we got another late start, but still managed to make it to Antiques by the Bay in Alameda. Daniel and Amy were a little cynical on our way, but when we arrived at the massive expanse of white tents and treasures, they perked up. I found a glass pitcher from 1910, 2 candle holders in the pink 1930's glass that I have become obsessed with, and Italian porcelain candle holder and a chine tea cup to add to the collection that I started in Portugal. While I'm sure most people would want to be there early to get the first pick, we found it very economical to be late comers. Everyone wanted to get rid of things so they gave us great deals!

We finished at the flea market just in time to make it to a matinee of MILK, a movie that I have been anticipating for a long time. The film tells the story of Harvey Milk who became the first openly gay man to hold major office in the U.S. The movie was incredibly moving, very well directed, acted and edited and inspiring. I am embarrassed that as an educated and gay-friendly woman, I hadn't heard Harvey Milk's story before this film. I strongly recommend the film if you're in an area where is it playing (unfortunately for the local Bakersfield/Shafter kids, you'll have to go to LA).

Daniel and I made it home last night around 12:30am, tired and a little forlorn to have left our wonderful weekend. I am so glad that one of my best friends and the man I love so much became friends so instantly. It was such a wonderful weekend with even more wonderful people!

A couple thoughts... good and bad

2008-12-02T15:42:00.000-08:00

It is so ridiculous that this movie isn't playing in Bakersfield!!!!

Good thing I'm heading to San Francisco this weekend... I shall report

At Daniel's family's Thanksgiving, I chatted up his lovable aunt Carolyn. She gave me an awesome music recommendation and I have now become obsessed with Madeleine Peyroux. Try making Pandora station under her name - the result... magical.

4 ladies K.I.T.

2008-12-02T15:11:00.000-08:00

Just before Thanksgiving, I had a short 2 day tradeshow in Anaheim. I've come to love shows in California because I can drive which translates to freedom. I can stop when I want to, take bathroom breaks when I feel like it and drive to whatever restaurant tickles my fancy. The best thing about this show was the location and its proximity to so many dear friends of mine who I hardly ever get to see any more. I had three nights to spend down south and decided to make the most of each one.

Night One was devoted to a lovely lady who spoiled me early on in the professional world. Emily and I used to work together at GSE. While she has continued with the company and become quite the little corporate success story, I am still considering the pros and cons of the decision to leave such a fun loving and attractive ;) company. Em and I went to our favorite restaurant, Gypsy Den and had our favorite entrees, followed by Hazelnut steamers just like old times. Our dinner date turned into a 5 hour evening event and I loved every moment of it. We questioned a lot of things together and didn't really come up with too many answers... but isn't it nice to know that you aren't the only one questioning?

Night Two, I drove a little north to Long Beach to visit a Barcelona buddy of mine, Amber who was Jessica's roommate in Spain. We were insta-friends when we studied abroad together and with our birthdays only a few hours apart, I consider her another wonderful soul mate of mine. We dined at a fantastic Greek Cafe on half price wine night - can you get any better?! We caught up over piles of Schawerma chicken, pita and a bottle of wine and laughed laughed laughed as usual. We discovered that we basically have the same job with one small difference - I sell bugs and she sells garlic.

One of Amber's classic lines is "I'm down for whatever" and she yet again shared with me the essence of what that really means. Her "chi" and natural peace is contagious just when you need it most.

Night Three I had a LONG OVERDUE dinner with my college roommate and best friend Andria. I haven't seen that girl in an embarrassingly long time and was so amped to finally catch up. She has seen me at my worst and is one of those people who knows all my weaknesses. While vulnerability can sometimes be disconcerting, mine with her is a refreshing reminder of a very true friendship. We discussed our boyfriends and relationships, mutual friends, music, jobs and travels. I got to see her adorable new apartment and some of her latest art. She will always be one of those people whose talents I'm in awe of. What makes them even better is the accompanying humility.

As I drove home to celebrate Thanksgiving the next day, I felt refreshed and truly truly thankful. I am sad that I no longer live in an area where I can see all those wonderful girls on a regular basis, but how wonderful to be able to jump back into such a precious friendship when reunited. We don't just fill the silence with countless "remember whens" but rather discuss what we're going through in our own lives - joys, fears and embarrassments alike. Keeping in touch can be such a challenge, but what a wonderful blessing it has been to me.

Emily, Amber and Andria - I love you girls so much!

Home for the Holidays!

2008-11-12T15:47:00.000-08:00

I apologize for my absence! What a boring blogger, I know. Life was incredibly crazy there for a while. After Memphis, I was home for only 3 days then flew to Tacoma/Seattle for another show, then to Spokane to visit my soul mate and long lost BFF Jessica, then I flew to Denver for another show, home for 3 days, then to Dallas for a week for the biggest show of the year! Makes me tired just writing about it. I was hating my job there for a little while. The exhaustion of packing and unpacking (I currently have 4 unpacked suitcases in my room), countless time zones, and being on my feet forced to be chipper was wearing on me in a whole new way. It wasn't all bad though. I got to go to Seattle, a city I fell in love with! If it wasn't for my susceptibility to depression in dreary weather, I would move there and I would shop at the Pike Place Market everyday! The best farmer's market I've ever seen. The smells alone were like an orgy for the senses - cakes and pastries, salty nuts, fresh fish, lavendar and perfume oils, honeycomb, incense, roses, chrysanthemums, pumpkins... I could go on forever. Just imagine all of that hitting your nose at one time.

I also got to visit my friend Jessica who lives in Spokane. Instead of flying home in between my Tacoma and Denver shows, I decided to spend 4 days with her and had a blast (as usual). Jess and I met in Barcelona and have been incredible friends ever since. The fact that we've never lived in the same state, much less the same city (except for Barcelona) and I still call her my best friend is amazing to me! She and her two roommates threw an early Halloween party and we got into the festivities with candy, cupcakes, costumes and a colander of heavily spiked punch. I was Madonna and she was a flapper girl and together, we were the hit of the party :)

I was accidentally artsy when i snapped this picture of Jess -so gorgeous!

Madonna and a flapper

Jess and I took her adorable dog on a walk in a beautiful park in Spokane. It was nice to really enjoy a season that Bakersfield doesn't get enough of.

After my 2 weeks on the road in Washington and Colorado, I had a short break before I was off to Dallas for the National Association for the Education of Young Children's Annual Conference. My boss had told me some time ago that this was all on my shoulders and that if the biggest show of the year didn't go off without a hitch, all eyes were on me. No pressure, right? Well, there were some hiccups, but for the most part, I handled our 1,000 square foot booth and 20,000 attendees quite well! We celebrated with dirty martinis and some of the best food I've ever had... oh so swanky!

After Dallas, it was HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS!!! That's what I kept thinking when I was close to nutting up and it pulled me through. I'm home 'til January (except for a short 2 day show in Anaheim) and couldn't be happier about it :)

Look at those DUCKS!!

2008-10-21T14:59:00.000-07:00

Memphis, Tennessee... home of Elvis, the Blues, BBQ and BB King... and while those things are all well and good, there's not much else. I recently returned from the National Association of Biology Teachers convention in good ol' Memphis and I must say, I was a bit disappointed. I've been to the south a lot in the past 4 or 5 months and am proud to say that I hold a special little place in my heart for the food, friendly "yes ma'am, no ma'am," the music and the sweet tea, but Memphis was only a little of those amidst A LOT of crack heads! Downtown, where I stayed, was not terrible by any means. I got to enjoy some good (but honestly Mo's in SLO is better) BBQ, see a famous Rockabilly band (The Dempsies - they were in Walk the Line) and enjoyed a lot of walking. There was one highlight, however, which is why this blog is worth writing...

A block from my hotel was the world famous Peabody Hotel in downtown Memphis. A local at the convention let me in on the special story of the Peabody and why I HAD to visit the hotel lobby at 5:00pm. Since the 1920's, the Peabody has been known for its ducks when a couple of duck hunters came back to the hotel from a long (whisky saturated) day of duck hunting. They decided to bring their (then legal) live duck decoys back with them and play a trick on the other guests in the hotel. They gingerly placed the ducks in the lobby's grandiose fountain, hoping that they would inspire shock and awe the next morning. Turns out that guests were delighted and the famous Peabody Ducks have attracted people like me ever since.

Every morning at 11:00, the Duckmaster, dressed in a dignified red jacket and a duck headed cane, makes his way up to the Peabody's roof where he retrieves the ducks from their lavish Duck Palace. They follow him in a line onto the elevator and ride it down to the lobby floor. The elevator door opens to a red carpet leading from the door to the lobby fountain. After a wave of his cane, the ducks waddle out of the elevator, down the red carpet as hundreds of onlookers flash their cameras and cheer. The ducks climb the step stool next to the fountain then jump in with a little splash and swim inside the lobby fountain until 5:00 pm when they reverse the entire extravaganza.

I left my convention about 30 minutes early on Friday afternoon. I made it to The Peabody lobby just in time to grab a Vodka Collins and nestle into a spot on the floor, right next to the red carpet.

I was so thrilled with the performance that the ducks delivered that I bought myself a little rubber ducky keychain as a souvenir. She's so pretty with her lipstick red beak and eyelashes. Her boyfriend, a rubber mallard duck keychain (my gift to Daniel) is quite smitten with her :)

Suggestions

2008-10-14T11:17:00.000-07:00

There isn't much to do on a plane but read. Even with my slow as a turtle reading speed, I've averaged about a book a trip! I'm just finishing up The Secret Life of Bees, which is WONDERFUL. I'm so excited about the movie! I'd love some suggestions on great books to pass the time. What book are you ranting and raving about this month???

Bring in the Air Marshall!!

2008-10-13T16:24:00.000-07:00

I paid the good ol' Sunshine State (Florida) a visit last week. Unfortunately, I didn't get to bask in the sun in Miami or discover an oceanic ecosystem in Key West. I was, of course, there for work and by there, I mean Orlando. I've got nothing against Orlando, in fact, the weather was beautiful, my bed at the Double Tree rivaled my favorites - Westin and W, and I managed to find a great place to get a Vietnamese mani/pedi.* My hotel was located at the entrance of Universal Studios so I filled my spare time with strolls through Universal City Walk, Downtown Disney and a leisurely jog through the beautiful grounds of a neighboring Italian Villa style resort. It was pretty low key, and I was even worried that I might not have an entertaining anecdote to share.

I closed my exhibit around noon on Saturday and made my way to the airport. As I sat at my gate, I was not too thrilled to be entering the confinement of an airplane with the dozens of rowdy rug-rats donning Crocs and Mickey ears. It turned out that the rambunctious kiddies were the least of my worries.

I nestled into my usual window seat and prayed that I would be blessed with good seat neighbors. That, I was granted. Within 5 minutes, two 30 something women made their way down the aisle laughing at their own sarcastic quips. They settled in and we found the perfect level of acquaintance - friendly, but not overly talkative. It turned out that they had been in Orlando for work as well and we bonded over our annoyance with the surrounding whines, cries, giggles and shrieks. "Damn you Disney World!" I said, and we all laughed. Soon enough I had my earplugs in and had found my way back to the narrative of an autistic adolescent's murder mystery (The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time). I looked up to see my two quirky neighbors huddled forward, talking secretively to the woman in the seat in front of them. My curiosity got the better of me as I ripped out my earplugs, straining to eavesdrop.

"Hey, if there's gossip, then I wanna know about it," I said.

My new friends giggled and let me in.

"That guy over there (she pointed across the aisle to the guy sitting by the window) is crazy! He's demanding to be moved to first class, hassling the flight attendant and the couple sitting next to him and I think he's coming on to that poor old woman!!"

I strained to see the man sitting in the opposite window seat, but I couldn't manage while maintaining at least some level of discretion. I could however, see the older man in the aisle seat, looking ahead as if to be fighting painful concern. I watched in anxious anticipation as I received updates from the girls next to me. We had worked out a game of telephone with all the neighboring passengers who seemed to all be on pins and needles as well. The nut job had, in fact, demanded to be moved to first class (there wasn't first class on this particular flight) and then had cuddled up to the 80 something year old woman sitting next to him, caressing her arm and apologizing for his behavior because he was "a pretty crazy man who does pretty crazy things sometimes." When the flight attendants came around to offer snack boxes, I saw money flying and arms waving from across the plane as the nut job insisted on buying the old couple their snack boxes to make up for his crude performance. I heard the flight attendant repeat those dreaded words "Sir, I need you to calm down," and I could see the distress on every staff face.

In heroic fashion, my new friends flagged down an attendant to say that they would like to switch seats with the old couple. These girls were feisty and could most certainly hold their own more fervently than the victimized grandparents. After little debate, the older couple agreed to switch seats. As soon as she could stand, the old woman lunged toward me, grasping my arm, crying and shaking in fear. She continued to apologize and repeat

"I don't understand what's going on, I'm so scared."

Between her husband and me, we managed to soothe her nerves a bit. In a feeble voice that showed her distress, she told me that she was in the beginning stages of Alzheimer's and that she was easily confused. While I sincerely felt for her, I was put somewhat at ease knowing that the events might have been exaggerated beyond reality. At 36,000 feet in the air, with 2 and a half more hours to go, I don't think I was the only one who wanted a reason to believe it was all just a misunderstanding.

Just as her trembling began to subside, I noticed a hustle and bustle across the aisle. The girls that had given up their seats were getting up to stand in the aisle to let the nut job out for a restroom break. I made eye contact with one of the sacrificial woman and she rolled her eyes and gave me a look as if to say, "I'm fed up with this asshole."

He stumbled into the aisle which was when I realized that he was intoxicated beyond what he could mask. As he turned to head to the back of the plane to relieve himself, he bent down toward the old man at the aisle, blubbering something about how "cool" has no age. This was the first time that I had seen his face. He was a middle eastern man whose diminutive stature was dwarfed even more by the disproportionate size of his large head and bulging bug eyes.

I think of myself as a cultured individual and pride myself on my interest and respect of other cultures and religions, but I must admit that in this instance, I was not so much my "worldly" self. I could tell that I wasn't the only one whose concern reached a new intensity at the realization of the skin color of the man who had caused such an ordeal. As he continued to hassle the old man and woman in passing, I tried to urge him on to the bathroom from my secluded corner by the window. The return of his presence sent the poor old woman into another frenzy. Her tremors returned and she held tight to my arm. I reassured her as he moved along, rocking back and forth, leaning on every sorry soul who happened to be in the aisle on the way to the toilet closet. When the man of the hour returned to his seat, the ladies let him back in and shortly after, he was again ringing his call button to hassle the flight attendant with more demands. Fortunately, neither of his neighboring female passengers nor the flight attendants were subject to his offensive antics for much longer.

I had begun to make progress in my book, transporting myself into the mind of an autistic boy who happened upon a neighborhood dog that had been murdered, when I noticed a flight attendant coming to once again converse with the infamous row of travelers. I saw her motion toward the front of the plane, obviously offering the 2 ladies new seat assignments in Economy Plus (LUCKY!). I thought to myself, "why would they be playing musical chairs again? Why subject yet another passenger to this guy's behavior?" The ladies moved to their new, leg roomier seats as I saw a casually dressed, yet distinguished man walk towards our row. He held a large business binder and a briefcase that didn't quite match the image of his Tommy Bahama - like khaki shorts and grey rayon shirt. I held my book slyly below my eyes and put my best listening ears on. I couldn't hear any of the conversation, but my position gave me the perfect angle to seemthe newly transplanted passenger lean over toward Mr. Crazy with his wallet in his hand. He flipped it open as he made, what seemed like, a very authoritative statement.

"Holy S#!t!" I thought. This guy is someone serious! I didn't know whether to feel safe or seriously threatened. I decided that the best thing to do was to force myself to feel the former. I said a little prayer to myself, being careful not to let on to the distraught grandma to my left that I was fearful. I dove back into my book and forced the current situation from my mind. Eventually, we landed in Denver and I can honestly say that I don't know that there has ever been a time when I have been THAT excited to touch ground. But even as we landed, the good times weren't over. As all the passengers jumped into the aisles, anxious to be free from confinement, a flight attendant came over the loud speaker, "I'm sorry for the inconvenience Ladies and Gentlemen, but we need to ask everyone to be seated immediately. Please stay in your seats until otherwise notified."

"IT'S NOT OVER!?!" I thought, but I was halfway anticipating what happened next. Two men, dressed in full police garb came down the aisle and stopped right next to my row to accompany the drunk middle eastern out, IN HANDCUFFS! I can't imagine the horrifying confusion in the minds of those at the front of the plane who had no idea of the events of the flight. After we were released from our seats, I spoke to the couple (un)lucky enough to be sitting in front of the nut job. I asked why the Air Marshal had suddenly been brought to sit next to him. Apparently, he had been dropping quite a few "trigger"words, bragging about his physical prowess because of his days as a Navy Seal and his knowledge of government intelligence. The old couple and the 2 good Samaritans exited the plane and went straight into a meeting with the officers to answer questions, I, however, got out of there. So grateful to be on land and safe, I felt a weight lifted and decided to treat myself to one of my favorite cinnamon rolls at The Coffee Beanery outside gate B45... yes, I know the Denver airport THAT well!

*Yes! I got a PEDICURE for the first time in... well at least 6 months, maybe longer. My damaged toenail has worked its way out to a somewhat respectable length and is actually able to be painted! I can't wait to get my first French pedi for Alli'es wedding!!!

double your pleasure

2008-10-06T13:17:00.000-07:00

the reason why i'm so often stuffed into a confining airplane seat or working to make a hotel room feel homey is because of my job. sure i've got a love for travel but, more often than not, the trip that i'm on is on behalf of insect lore, to spread the joy of creepy crawlers. BUT, this weekend was different! i traveled, not for business but for pleasure.

a few months ago, daniel and i watched ONCE, a musical independent film that i had heard great things about. while we didn't really think the film was all that amazing, the music was phenomenal and we became instant fans of Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova who tour as the Swell Season. after a little online research, i found a california tour date and surprised daniel with tickets. even better, Iron and Wine, one of my favorite bands, was to open for them.

on saturday morning we drove thru starbucks for fuel and were off to LA for an activity packed weekend we had anticipated for a long time! our first stop was Chubby's Cruisers, a specialty bike shop that i had discovered online. we walked through the showroom and after much indecisive chatter (a vanessa classic) i decided on the model and color scheme for my new beach cruiser. my TAHITI will be a vanilla color with pink rims, a rattan basket and a bell :)

after we picked out my new bike, we headed to downtown LA where we grabbed some MUCH NEEDED lunch at an irish pub near the staples center. we freshened up (by we, i mean, i freshened up while daniel napped) and headed to the club lounge at the millenium biltmore for our complimentary wine and hors d'oeuvres and we were off to the greek theater.

our cabbie dropped us off in the beautiful residential area leading up to the amphitheater under the stars and we walked with the super cool LA hipsters, quickening our pace as we heard Iron and Wine already into their set. the night was beautiful as we enjoyed cocktails and great music. richard sherman (composer for the Jungle Book and Marry Poppins) made an appearance and sang spercalifragelistik expialidotious - or however you spell it - with the Swell Season.

after the concert, dan and i hailed a cab back downtown. we almost didn't arrive in one piece as our driver seemed to be unfamiliar with even the most popular areas of LA and landed us on a one way street, going the wrong direction. we eventually made it back safely and walked to an irish pub we had seen earlier. a little bummed to find, what daniel and i call a "broseph bar," we walked back to the biltmore to sip martinis at the classy bar and listen to some live jazz.

the purpose for our trip was 2 fold. we had concert tickets, but we had also promised ourselves that we would FINALLY make it to the Getty Center. we have talked about going to the getty together for the better part of 5 years and we decided this would be the time... but first, we needed brunch. where else do you go in downtown LA for a swanky sunday brunch than The Standard?? i showed daniel the ultra hip hotel and we had some devilishly delicious brunch - honey marscapone stuffed french toast topped with baked apples and watermelon lemonade - DUH!

we journeyed north to the getty center and meandered through sculptures, paintings, photographs and gardens until the museum's closing. it was an incredibly beautiful day: a little fall crisp, plenty of sun and the perfect breeze. art and flowers - you can't get any more romantic!

when i was 17, daniel introduced me to a contemporary and genuinely bizarre author - Chuck Palahniuk. the first book that i read by him, was Choke which daniel passed along to me. recently, a movie, inspired by the novel was released - but of course was not in the hellishly conservative bubble that is bakersfield so we made it part of our LA adventure. after the getty, we went a bit farther north to sherman oaks where we had some italian food and wine then caught the movie at the galleria. unfortunately, neither one of us gave it the enthusiastic thumbs up, we had to see it. come on, it's Palahniuk!

our little romantic weekend came at a great time. as of thursday, i'll be away for work every weekend until the middle of november! it's going to be a longgggg month...

P.S. i took a ton of amazing pictures at the getty. i don't want to toot my own horn or anything, but the garden pictures were pretty impressive. but after trying to upload pictures all day at work, i ran out of patience. blogger.com should work on this!

Take the Poll!

2008-10-01T15:58:00.000-07:00

In keeping with my frustrations with the traveling obese, I created a poll!! Play along to the right of my page!

oh you whiners, i was getting to that!

2008-09-29T13:07:00.001-07:00

to angie, allie, christie and jill (who i'm sure will find out sooner or later), i apologize profusely, for not sending out an informative email to put the world on alert about my blog. honestly, i was excited to do so, but i wanted to wait until i had this thing all figured out... which is still something i'm working on. i'm a myspacer, you must remember and i'm finding this transition a bit confusing. slowly but surely... new blog coming soon!

Excuse me, have you heard of the Biggest Loser

2008-09-29T12:50:00.000-07:00

Obviously, I've already proven to be bad at blogging. And just to give you an idea of how much I travel, I've been to 2 separate states and back since my intro blog. I suppose, like anything else, practice makes perfect, so I shall work on my discipline with my updates.

Two weeks ago, I went to North Carolina for another early childhood education conference. I was to fly from Bakersfield to LAX to DC to Greensboro, NC. As I settled into the giant airbus in LAX, bound for DC, I watched in anticipation at the approaching line of passengers. I do this often - size up my fellow travelers and take a wild guess at who will restrict my sprawling for the flight. It seemed that nearly all of the passengers had entered the aircraft; the hustle and bustle of jamming "carry-ons" (don't even get me started on the bulbous and oversized crates that are passed off as carry-on luggage these days) into the overhead compartment. As I scanned the aisles from my window seat I thought, "No way, did I really luck out and score a free neighboring seat." Then I saw him, the man that I knew - even from 7 feet down the aisle - was to be the aisle seat to my window.

I had just watched the season premiere of the Biggest Loser the night before. I find that show incredibly inspiring. Rarely can I watch an episode without blinking back a few tears. While I would consider myself to be in relatively good shape, I am no skin and bones kinda gal and I'll be the first to admit that my entire life has been peppered with dieting and exercising regiments in an attempt to shed a couple pounds. I think obesity is a devastating epidemic, but one that is all too often excused as a condition beyond the "victim's" control. And, with the ever pressing topic of America's obesity at the forefront of my brain, I could not look at the approaching airplane behemoth with compassion.

After situating a leather briefcase into the overhead compartment, being careful to take out any items that might be needed throughout the flight, Tubby settled into the seat next to me. Well, maybe I should rephrase that... he never really settled. I can imagine that it's uncomfortable to carry around that much extra weight and he certainly confirmed that inclination with his incessant shifting and wiggling. As the other passengers bumped and pushed their way to their seats in preparation for departure, my large neighbor flagged down a flight attendant to ask for a seat belt extender, which in my opinion (with the exception of pregnant women, obviously) is a read flag that you are out of your league in one economy seat. After a couple of minutes, Tubby realized that the attendant wasn't rushing back to his beck and call. In a fashion that spoke volumes about his need for instant gratification, he requested an extender from another attendant. Here's the kicker, he looks at me with disgust and says "God, what dumbasses they have working on these flights." Our pretty pretty princess eventually got his extender and we were off to the east coast.

As i mentioned, Tubby (I like this name so I think we'll stick with it) had the hardest time trying to sit still. With his bulbous leg challenging the boundary of our 2 seats and his love handles bleeding out under the arm rest, I wondered how he couldn't be comfortable with all of MY space! Believe me, I delivered plenty of slightly obvious but somewhat discreet huffs and puffs to demonstrate my frustration with his constant fidgeting. I heard the click of a seat belt unbuckling and peeled my eyes from my little window in anticipation. "Maybe he's going to get up and go walk around! Give me some breathing room, damnit!" But just as I looked, I regretted it. Oh, he got up alright, but it wasn't to take a look around or stretch his fluffy limbs. Oh no, he stood up half way and turned his back toward me only to reach down with his stubby arm to scratch an itch. Not just any itch, but an ass itch... then he worked toward the challenging goal of releasing his underwear from the tight clench of his crack. All this delightful eye candy was, of course, accompanied by an olfactory sensation reminiscent of a sweaty locker room and dirty underwear.

Now, I realize that if United, American, Continental, etc. made a statement declaring that people over a certain weight were no longer allowed to fly without purchasing 2 seats, an all out revolt would ensue. Honestly, even I would understand the arguments against discrimination and wrongful treatment. But, as I sat there in my hellish corner of the traveling world, I wondered, "where do his rights end, and mine begin?!" He was, after all, invading MY space that I (well, Insect Lore) paid for! While he most certainly possesses (and obviously exercises) his right to treat his body however he chooses, that treatment, in this case, has invaded the personal space of others. The growing girth of America is also cause for concern on the part of airlines. The person who used to weigh 160 lbs. now weighs 230 lbs. and requires a considerable increase in fuel to transport. Thus, just one more reason for the increase in airline ticket prices. I agree that airlines seats aren't exactly the most comfortable or spacious environments, but when you can't keep your body from spilling out into my space, it's time to put the Twinkie down and buy a second seat!

fancy meeting you here

2008-09-18T19:43:00.000-07:00

i kinda thought that blogs were for the settled. ya know, those with babies, a house, a husband or at LEAST a fiancee. well, i have none of those things, unless you consider marley my baby (let's be honest, it's not too much of a stretch) or you think that because i live in a house, it's MY house (minor detail that this 23 year old "professional" lives in the same homes with her parents as she did when she was 9). BUT, as i was thinking in the shower, which is where i (like many others) do some of my best thinking - i was reliving yet another comical little airplane scenario that occurred as a result of my cross-country travels and i thought "this is funny stuff! maybe i SHOULD have a blog." i thought, "i'll tell these funny little stories (with minor embellishments if necessary. i mean, i don't want to BORE you) and maybe even give tips on travel. i could be your ambassador from TSA, except less disgruntled and better dressed :) besides, i DID discover that i was most like carrie bradshaw when i took that "what Sex and the City character are you" quiz on Facebook. that means something, right? ta daaaa - my blog, V is for Voyage!

i sell bugs. yeah, you read that correctly. i sell butterflies, ladybugs, mealworms, ants, earthworms... you name it, if it crawls or wriggles, i sell it. but details can really be as pretty as your imagination and interpretive powers permit... for example, i could say "i am the event coordinator and the assistant marketing director for the largest commercial grower of butterflies in the country. i travel constantly, stay in great hotels (most of the time) and eat at top restaurants. my current focus, when i'm not jet-setting, is a corporate 40th anniversary celebration that i am coordinating in new york..." but really, we all know that i just sell bugs. now if i did all that but it was as an employee for Michael Kors, then that would be another story entirely. for now, i'll start with the butterflies.

i thought that i might warn you, or inform you, or ask permission - wait, why am i asking YOUR permission, this is MY blog - anyway, what i'm trying to say is that while i usually find myself in the midst of an amusing scenario while traveling, i do believe that some of my most entertaining anecdotes lie behind me. therefore, i will occasionally regress to some of my classic tales. maybe during a dry spell, when there hasn't been much traversing in the world of insects i'll revisit the time i was confined to my window seat on an airplane, land locked on the runway for 7 hours; or the time i was stranded in girona, spain because my roommate read the train schedule incorrectly; or when i hitchhiked in costa rica; was verbally accosted by an airport shuttle driver in chicago; or when i sang on broadway in nashville with local guitar pickers; held at (water) gunpoint on a street in paris; or when i was trapped at the running of the bulls for 2 days with 10 of my students...

more often than not, when i'm traveling, i have those moments when i look around and think "is anyone getting this?!?!?!" so i figured, why not write about it and let people get a peek. one of my many "dream jobs" is to be a travel writer... dream job? check!