When in Bath...

Ok so that title is horribly cliche, I can't believe I even thought about it let alone actually typed it. But while my body has gotten over the jet lag a bit, my mind apparently hasn't.

As a result, this is mostly just a Yes I Am Indeed Alive post. When my mental acuity returns I'll try and make some humorous observations....and if not just I'll just post some pictures of my house.

In the interim I'll just say that Bath is gorgeous and you should all come visit me right now. Go, buy your ticket, I'm waiting.

Goodbye Cupcakes

The lemon tart cupcake from Yummy's that's approximately half the size of my face
(note: wow it totally looks like I'm not wearing a shirt in the picture but trust me, I am)

The cupcakes Jenni made me on my second to last day of work

The lemon angel food cupcakes my mom made me last night

I can't be bothered with titles

Can't sit still. Leaving the country in 2 days. Freaking out.

Saw Dirty Rotten Scoundrels last night.....it was awesome. The whole cast was great, and Norbert was freaking amazing (of course). Plus two gay guys sat behind us giving extensive commentary on everyone and everything, so really it was the perfect theatre-going experience.

What?!

In my shock I could not think of a more clever title. So I'll get right to the point.

Tucker Carlson WON'T WEAR HIS BOWTIE on Dancing with the Stars ?!?!?!

Insanity. I thought they were inseperable. You don't see SpongeBob trading out his SquarePants for some distressed denim (excuse the horrible analogy). But really. If there was one reason I was going to watch it would be to see The Bowtie. Now I"ll leave Dancing with the Stars to the more devoted fans, ie my grandma, while personally sticking to the classics, ie watching that time Jon Stewart verbally kicked Carlson's ass on Crossfire. (which I desperately wish I could link, but am forbidden thanks to current browser).

RIP


Additionally: Breakfast so far: apple, licorice...and a cupcake. Fantastic.

3 is a Magic Number

I'm sure this is overkill given the number of people who weigh in on this sort of thing, but I've been meaning to do this for awhile. So here's who I want in the Runway final 3.





Michael- I've loved him since Day 1, when he made that coffee filter dress that was really overlooked. I hoped that he, much like Daniel V., would come into his own with time. And he did. Sweet.









Kayne-I think you said something to this effect Andrew, but he's like the southern gay best friend I never had. He's so adorable. He needs to turn his designing around a bit if he's going to make it to the end, and if he doesn't I might cry. And I pretty much never cry.








Uli- I think everyone can agree that she should've won last night (even Tim says so). The only reason they gave it to Vincent was to cause drama, and really I'm sick of that. Him and Angela both should've been gone episodes ago. Anyway, Uli rocks.

So that's what I think. Of course we all know that this won't be the final 3 because then the viewers would actually like the designers who made it, and [the proverbial] they can't have that.

Also, I recommend that everyone watch at least one episode with their father. It really adds a whole different dimension to the show. And it could be an experiment of sorts-- are all dads annoyed by Tim Gunn, or just mine?

Wednesday Stands for Boring

I want to see this. I had planned on a whole diatribe this morning about the Santa Clarita Valley's inability to show good movies and blah blah blah but as it turns out its actually playing out here (now). Way to steal my thunder, Edwards Valencia 12. I just need to find time (and a friend) to see it between today and 9 am Sunday.




I apologize for the mundane nature of today's post. I hope I haven't been granted some omniscient perspective on my own writing today, reavealing to me that its always this boring.


I'm reading this -->
So far so good, but I have absolutely no idea where its going.


Edit: On second thought, I don't apologize. It could be much much worse. I could be writing emo poetry or providing the details of my dentist appointment. Consider yourselves fortunate.

A Post for Miss Mack, On her Birthday

20 Good Things About Being 20

1) 12 months until you're 21
2) 52 weeks until you're 21
3) 365 days until you're 21
4) 8760 hours until you're 21
5) 525, 600 minutes until you're 21
6) 31,536,000 seconds until you're 21

Um, did I say 20 things? I meant 6.


Side note: Joel Stein, you cut me deep this morning. A dis to cupcakes AND Harry Potter at the same time? Ouch.

Every time a bell rings a cupcake gets its wings

Before the week is out I want to try and make these lemon angel food cupcakes. (Minus the fancy decoration which appears to include plants.)

Let it snow Let it snow Let it snow

There is no energy preservation occurring in this building right now. And if so, I am not benefitting from it. It is freeeezing. I'm trying to delay putting on my sweater because I know it will only be a weak shield from the harsh environs.

So this weekend I saw this: and read this:



Step up was awesomely bad. Or horribly awesome. Whichever order makes the most sense for you.
The Red Tent was legitimately good. Not something I'd really recommend to the male reading population, but good nonetheless.

On a more general note: I try not to be an elitist about movies or literature. Even when a film/book isn't traditionally good, it usually has something that lends it a sort of diamond-in-the-rough status. (Like Step Up or Jaws 2). But sometimes, it is just bad. And no amount of laughing-at-it-and-not-with-it can change that. Alexander comes to mind (Fiore can speak to the horror)....as does another book I read this weekend. I don't want to name it because that can't be good luck. Not that I believe in luck, but I did open an umbrella indoors this weekend, and do I really want to tempt fate? Not that I believe in fate. Hmm. Anyway, if I see you reading it I'll rescue you from its horribly simplistic sentence structure, religious undertones, and ultra manipulated plot.

Happy Monday.

An idle brain is the devil's playground

The world has really become a sad place when even the Choose Your Own Adventure books are being made into movies.

Using a remote to choose your adventure is nowhere near as cool as flipping to page 73 (only to discover you have been transported to the time of Genghis Khan, or turned into a baby).

But seriously, are kids that lazy and loth to read? Do the people who market this sort of thing really want kids to watch the movie instead of read the book?

I'm sure that will work out well for everyone in the long run...

Now to avoid hypocrisy (this time) I'll get off the internet and go read.

New and Improved (read: Not So) Fun Zone

Yesterday I mentioned how I rarely ever post current events....and here I am, doing it again: The End of the Fun Zone Era.

This isn't actually new by any means, but I wanted to take a moment, if belated, and mourn. Growing up (I say that like I'm not anymore...) we always went to the fun zone when we visited my grandparents, and I always freaked out in front of the Dark and Scary Ride (supposedly called the Scary Dark Ride, but this is my blog so I'll say what I want). Then my gparents moved up north for awhile and we didn't go back until later in high school...apparently the Dark and Scary Ride wasn't so Dark and Scary.

Aaanyway, I think it's pretty sad that it's being replaced by a museum. Sure, a "starfish-laden touch tank" has potential, but chances are good that it's either lame, overpriced, or both.

Hmm...should I get some more water for my half-empty glass?

If only I was wealthy and could buy my favorite lawsuit-waiting-to-happen ride, ie the drummer-boy-spinning-teacupish-thing. Then I could put it in my parents' backyard and have a taste of Newport kitsch whenever I wanted. Or twice a year at the very least.

Where are Pierce Brosnan and Tommy Lee Jones when you need them?!

Breaking my Never Post Twice in One Day Rule for this:

Volcano in Ecuador!

Now there are a lot of news stories out there and rarely does one make an appearance here, however it just so happens that the Heans was supposed to fly home from Ecuador today. That alone might not have merited a post, but then I saw this quote about the only casualty thus far:

"The man died of burns while trying to rescue a television set from his shack that was engulfed in flames, the police chief said."

Man, that's sad. I don't really want to make any snarky comments because then I'll feel like a bad person, but yeah. Ok Go was right- You cannot fight the television. (That was borderline snarky, I'd better back off).

Quick and completely unrelated note: Today we took a city car and got the one with a butcher knife in it. Yes! It's my favorite. I took a picture of the knife (discovered on my very first day of work, can't believe it's still there) which I'll post later.

You can lead a horse to two birds in a bush but it doesn't make them biscuits

I don't know if I've ever expressed here my desire to talk in mixed idioms all the time, but the title of this post is a direct result of that. It might be my favorite mixed idiom (mixiom?) ever, in that it contains two of my favorite idioms ever.

Speaking generally of phrases, I think that might be one of my favorite parts of Tim Gunn's blog. He loves to incorporate french phrases into his commentary and I love it. I think he used "Chacun a son gout" (literally: everyone has his own taste, basically: to each his own) twice in this post. I should start doing that, just drop in some french here and there. Of course I only remember the random ones like "Ce n'est pas tes oignons" (its not your onions, ie none of your business) and "Je ne suis pas dans mon assiette aujourd'hui (i'm not in my plate today, or i'm not feeling well). And now that we've all had a 10th grade french lesson....

These are all I wanted today. A very frustrating search that involved TWO grocery stores yielded no results. Sure, the blueberry muffin I wanted this morning was a piece of cake to procure, but I try to eat something healthy and it eludes me!

Coincidence? I think not.

Je ne suis pas dans mon assiette aujourd'hui.

EDIT: Because the end of this post sounded way too angsty for me, I'll throw in something literary. I got this book at the library today. I'm always iffy on the biblical tales but I've heard great things about it. Will report back.

The Fix is In

I need it. I rarely (if ever) journey AFTER work, but today it is necessary. Especially if we're hookah-ing later.



Today I was so bored (er, I mean, inquisitive) that I added up how much I've spent on Starbucks this summer....Surprisingly enough it only came out to around $60. I second Fiore in saying that's a small price to pay for my sanity. Of course I bet I'll spend another $15 before the summer is out (read: less than two weeks) but still. Not bad.

The up for today so far is definitely the Law and Order ringtone I downloaded at lunch. Awesome.

Of course this joy is dwarfed by the fact that I feel so lackadaisical right now I don't even have the energy to draw Spammy on my white board like I'd planned.



Wave hi to Spammy, kids.

There are no words for what you're about to see

Ok, so I know this is horrible. But it's one of the most horribly awesome things I've ever seen.



As Lepp pointed out, you might have to appreciate Newsies to understand its greatness. But if you don't appreciate Newsies we're probably not friends, as I would have forced you to watch it by now.

Additionally, Law and Order: Special Letters Unit is another must see (thanks Fiore).

Wow, Newsies and SVU in one post....this might be my favorite post ever.

Freak Cone Abnormality

Still debating whether or not using "freak" and "abnormality" in the same sentence is redundant...Regardless, take a look at this:


To your left, a normal Foster Freeze Swirl Chocolate Dipped Cone. To your right, my Freakishly Shaped And Is That A Spire On Top? Cone from last night. Seriously after the guy made it I could see him show it to his coworker because it was so odd looking. It was still delicious, but definitely one of a kind.

And for a complete non sequitur, I'm pretty sure I'll never need fiber in my diet again. Today at work I spent at least an hour and a half shredding documents (in a completely legal way, sorry) and I probably inhaled a tree's worth of paper.

Three Cheers for Consumerism

Finally succeeded in purchasing new digital camera. I would post a cool picture just to prove it, but it'd just be another picture of my dogs. So we'll wait until something exciting happens. [Like maybe dinner. Food is always exciting.]

Related Note: Although I ended up purchasing the camera at Best Buy, I did travel to not one but two Walmarts in the process....at which point I realized there are THREE Walmarts in the Santa Clarita Valley. Something tells me that isn't entirely necessary...

Also, I played tennis with my dad again yesterday...let's just say that mentally I am still the tennis player I was 2-3 years ago. Physically I may have the speed/agility of a sloth, and my body is now crying out in pain.

Hurrah, the Mack has arrived. Feasting can commence.

It's Friday, I'm in Love

...with:

-this little gem of a police report (much thanks to Defamer for alerting me to its existence)

-Iron Chef Morimoto being at the Tofu Festival (getting him to sign my cutting board would be second only to owning a piece of the Aggro Crag)

-the fact that I got to drink two cups of coffee before work this morning

Hmm yeah I was really reaching with that last one. I should be able to think of more good things about this day but I think the semi-naseaus state I am existing in is holding me back.

I think I heard a remake of Sublime's "What I Got" on the way home from work today. I really hope I was imagining that.

Cupcakes: An Evening in Review

Cupcake Trial #1: Yummy Cupcakes in Burbank. (I'll add a picture in here once I get them from Mack)

A good variety of flavors to choose from. I went with the Lemon Tart (lemon cake with lemon buttercream) and the Yummy Cupcake (chocolate cake, pink vanilla buttercream, chocolate sprinkles). Mack got a few other varieties that she'll have to add her input on.

Lemon Tart: Appearance- 9/10-very cute, lots of variety. The best deal ever? You can buy a "misfit cupcake" (imperfectly shaped) for only $1. Cake- 7/10- the lemon flavor was excellent, but it could've been a little more moist. that being said, we were eating them around 6pm so i didn't dock too many points. Frosting- 6/10- good lemon flavor, but super rich and there was a ton of it. if that's what you go for then you're set, but i personally would've enjoyed a lemon whipped cream frosting, or even a meringue of sorts.

(Note: I never got to eat the Yummy cupcake because I was so full. My Dad and sister said they enjoyed it.)

Now that I've been overly scientific and more than a little critical, I'll say that Yummy was, well, yummy, very pretty, and should definitely be journeyed too. Just bring some milk.

Of course after returning from Yummy I made my own cupcakes for work today....I'm not even going to try and hold them to my own cupcake-reviewing standards. I think they fall under the "not very aesthetically pleasing and a little messy but still delicious" category. Not that I'll be eating any today. I need to be put on a cupcake time out or I might be ill.

Cupcake-A-Thon

Next time you're home Fiore, a plan:

Sprinkles- Beverly Hills
Leda's Bake Shop- Sherman Oaks
Yummy Cupcakes- Burbank
Joan's On Third- LA (Grove region)

And, if we're feeling particularly adventurous:
Sweet Debbie's Organic Cupcakes- no store location, but they DELIVER. so perhaps when we're so full and feeling ill we can settle in a park somewhere and be delivered organic cupcakes (plus we'll feel healthy!).



I'm not quite bored enough to figure out which order we would hit the stores in. Additionally, I am sure there are other purveyors of cupcakes that I have missed, however I think 4 (potentially 5) cupcake varieties in one day is all that I can handle. As it is I might have to train for weeks before the event.

(Note: Eating LA did their own cupcake-a-thon of sorts, but of course it would be unscientific of us to blindly accept their results.)

Paranoia! Paranoia! Everybody's coming to get me...

Last week I made a left from McBean onto Valencia and the newly installed red light camera flashed me. I was pretty appalled considering I'd entered the intersection on the green, but then Jenni directed me to this city press release and I realized I was safe either way (it was July 31st). Of course it made me paranoid, because this morning I had a chance to enter on the yellow and I pretty much slammed on my breaks. Poor poor Acura, how I abuse you.

Also on the way to work, I spied what appeared to be a wet suit on the corner of the road. Um, seriously? In what scenario did that find its way there? Perhaps it belongs to the same person who left their comforter outside the Kohl's shopping center (which I see almost every day on my pilgrimage to Starbucks). A scuba diving, nap-loving homeless person is quite unhappy somewhere in the SCV. Unless he's already been shipped out to Los Angeles and didn't have time to gather his belongings....

On a Roll with Honor Roll

Sometimes (like when I watch this video and this even more awesome video) I remember how I had a chance to see the OK Go dance live and in person....and I went to a date party instead.

Of course I did go to that date party with Bayley, dressed as CANDY CORN, so that was pretty sweet...however that is also the Night That Will Live In Infamy Because I Dropped My Camera In the Library Tavern Bathroom. Ah well, what's past is past.

On a more serious note, some of you (Mack, Fiore) have not taken me seriously when I sing the praises of Teen Girl Squad. Now that I've provided this easily clickable link, you have no excuse.

Pound it

Why oh why is the dollar especially weak right before I go abroad? The post-fall-semester bank account is looking pretty bleak.

(It almost sounds like there is a poem in there somewhere but I'll move on).

Today I watched about 5 minutes of Legends of the Hidden Temple, but then I saw that my team was out (purple parrots! -far right-) and decided that I would catch some Shark Week reruns instead.

Journeyed to San Diego yesterday for the semifinals of the Acura Classic. The singles weren't bad but the doubles were awesome (so underappreciated). I wish they would televise the doubles final but its only shown on the Tennis Channel. Um, my family doesn't even get HBO...

Did, however, watch the singles final on tv today...Damn that Sharapova. Not only did she beat Clijsters (who I was pulling for) but she's dating Andy Roddick. Life just isn't fair.

This is me

I'm feeling so antsy lately. I just want to get up and go....somewhere. England? No I need my last three weeks to prep. Maybe the bookstore. Often I channel this feeling by unnecessary spending. At least if I spend on books I'll see some educational value in my purchaes when (if?) I return to rationality.

Today I watched this and read this and they both made my day. I'm not sure what that says about me.

An Excellent Triumvirate

Christian Bale, Hugh Jackman, and David Bowie: The Prestige is sure to be an awesome film. I mean seriously, has David Bowie even made a film since Labrynth?

(Ok so apparently he has, however I doubt he has yet to hold a role that tops Jareth the Goblin King)

(And no I did not pull the name 'Jareth the Goblin King' from memory)

Back to work now...