Little Updates

It is seriously hotter than the hinges of hell outside, so, we're going to do a little staying inside with the A/C moment today. And probably every single day until well, October. Lawdy mercy. I love Texas, but DANG.

Thanking my stars I'm England and then mountain bound for bits of July! Cool weather! Even if my London friends think they are currently "positively boiling". False.

ANYWAYS.

I've done a few little updates around mi casa, so, here you go.

Entryway redo. I don't have a before, but, it didn't look like this. Also, I guess I like yellow? But the walls are a light brown, I swear!

Look, more yellow!! My beloved gingham couch, complete with Pottery Barn pillows. Love this look.

But? Maybe we try something a might chicer. What say ye?

Now, I just need a home for this lovely ditty.

That's right, a HUGE print of the London Underground. It is wrapping paper, y'all! I'm in love with it, I just need to get it matted and framed!!

What about y'all, any house updates these days?

On happiness and heartache

Sometimes being a grown up is sucky.

Sometimes it's fun because you can have ice cream for dinner and no one can say a dang thing--well, except maybe that voice that's all "hey, you're going to get fat!", but, let's be honest, we never listen to that voice anyway. Related, pass the cookies please.

All that to say, I've had to make some grown up choices recently. Sucky choices. Painful things and all that. Kids, don't grow up, it's a trap!

But, I've had some great friends and great times to get me through it and for that, I am a happy gal.  It's strange to find happiness in times of doubt, confusion and pain, but, thanks to some incredible girls, I am in fact finding just that.

My BFF Ren took me out  to Nobu after a particularly hard day (but, we got some really fun news that day too!)

Then, I went to Canton with my insomniac twin That Pink Girl and we found Boo's. It hasn't stopped being funny.

And I got a fried pie! I mean, if that doesn't spell happiness, I don't know what does!

Dinner at Wolfgang Puck's 560 in Reunion Tower with BFF Ren. Who's amazing, duh. Love!

Ren captured this shot of me and I think it's hilariously perfect.

Last night my angel of music, Aurora and I went to see Oklahoma and had the bestest time ever. Major friend pride tears!

I know life isn't easy. I know I'm not perfect. I know I'll continue to screw up and generally be a hot mess, but, even though life has killed the dream I dreamed, I know that even the darkest night will end and the sun will rise.

Victor Hugo told me so. 

And, if there was any doubt, I give you, the cast of Magic Mike.

I KNOW.

West End Love

Right.

Enough sad posts.

Yes, it's been a rough few weeks for me, and yes, I have found myself reaching for the phone to call her or finding the necklace she gave me for my 18th birthday and bursting into hysterical tears, but, I've had friends to lean on and memories to preserve. Honestly, and forgive me for being a drama queen--this is one loss I really don't think I'll ever get over.

BUT. There are happy times ahead, and like a zillion years ago when I introduced my sister to London's West End Theatre? Yep, that was a happy time too.

So. We shall talk theatre. Because that is always fun.

Sunburnt idiots at Phantom

We started our London adventures at the classic--you know, Phantom of The Opera. I know, I've seen it like a zillion times just this year alone, but, the London version is just THE BEST and I mean, we couldn't NOT see it. We had such a great time at Phantom--nudging each other, singing along, laughing. It was so much fun. I can't even tell you. I could have cried out of sheer joy.

Front balcony thankyouverymuch

On Saturday, we trekked around Knightbridge and then to see Mama Mia, because it is just so much fun. After being fancy lunching ladies at Harrod's (omg best dessert of MY LIFE) we sat third row for some awesome ABBA action. Dang I love that show!!

We then took off for a stroll around Green Park and the vicinity, which, as you know, my favorite spot in London. I promise, eventually I'll branch out, but, it's just my damn happy place.

Then there was Monday. Monday. MONDAY. Or the day we saw Les Mis. The day I had been waiting for--y'all, be so proud, I didn't even bust out my cheesy "ONE DAY MOOOOOOORE" on my sister while we were meandering 'round London on Sunday. GROWTH.

Alright, I am going to wax poetic here. It's my favorite show, we all know this. It's my favorite for many reasons, but, the most important is that it was my mom's too, that it was something we shared, and something we can still share today even without her.

Cossette is my homegirl. We sat fifth row, bee tee dubs.

I cry every damn time I see it, and I warned Rach that the second the music started, I would lose it. WELL. I showed great strength! I only cried like three times.Really!! This time I had a friend in the show, so, I was mostly invested on watching his idiot self not screw up (he didn't, he did great and it was really special to see him onstage in the best show ever). Although, those kiddos dying the on the barricades? Little harder. OH. And the finale? HOLY JESUS. "They will walk behind the ploughshare, they will put away the sword, the chain will be broken and all men will have their reward, do you hear the people sing, say do you hear the distant drums is the music that they bring when tomorrow comes" Yeah, lost my shit. Standard.

The 2011-2012 cast just changed out on Saturday night, so, I honestly have no idea who will be in the cast for any of you folks pond hopping for the Olympics, but, surely it will be an absolutely amazing cast--it always is!!

THEN. Because we hadn't been blessed enough, we were gifted FRONT ROW tickets to Sweeney Todd. My lands. I LOVE Sweeney Todd. I know it's not everyone's cup of tea, but I just love it. So different from Les Mis and Phantom of course, but I adore it. I haven't seen it since I was in it waaaaay back in high school but when I heard it was on the West End I was determined to see it. Unaware of our schedule I didn't book the tickets before we left, but, uh, when one is offered Sweeney Todd tickets, one takes them.

Especially when MICHAEL BALL--the original Marius in Les Mis plays the Demon Barber himself, you must see it. Y'all. Y'ALL. There really aren't words for how great the show was. I'm actually still in awe of it. The cast, oh the cast!! They were all so good. And Michael Ball?! I swear, he opened his mouth to sing and my heart stopped beating. And I mean, we were front row center, so, that didn't hurt.

Demon Barber of Fleet Street

I was texting a friend the other day and I proclaimed those few days, the best of my life. She asked if it topped Hugh Jackman, which, uhhh, honestly, it might. I know, I need to go wash my mouth out with soap!! But daaaaaang. It was just SO MUCH goodness. I don't know. I watch the Les Mis movie trailer with Hugh and then I remember how much I love him, soooo.....

All this to say, London theatre, I love you more than words. You've made my little heart smile and given me some great memories over the many, many years I've been blessed to enjoy your amazing productions. I will always come back to you--always! July 12th, baby!!! (although, I don't yet have any show tickets booked, for shame!!! Thinking I will hit up The Globe again, yesss)

I am SO LUCKY to have shared London's very best with my dad in September, my sister in April and I'm meeting my cousin there in July--not sure what we'll see yet (I know, the planner in me is freaking out but trying to coordinate with her schedule and the schedule of friends over there....just breathe... it'll all work out... we got Sweeney tickets the day before, surely I can just bat my eyelashes and it'll happen), but, I know that we'll have a blast. London is my city and home to honestly, the best actors in the world (why dear Tom Hooper and Cameron Mackintosh pulled from the West End for the Les Mis movie of course!) and I love sharing it with friends and family.

OK. OK. I'm done. Sorry. London theatre ramblings over. Until July. 

(Sweeney Todd picture from SweeenyToddWestEnd)

Mixed Blessings

Last week I lost one of my oldest and dearest friends in a sudden and very horrible accident, so, I've been a bit of a zombie since then. Appearently I'm still in the angry tears part of grief as I started on hot pissy tears when cooking supper tonight. So, that was fun.

BUT. Sometimes there are mixed blessings.

For example, I got to go home, which I wasn't planning on doing until the holidays, catch up with another lifelong friend and spend some time at the beach.

Let's recap, shall we?

Got into town on Sunday and set up shop at the hotel pool. Got mucho sun. Mucho needed.
 

 Totally wishing I could bottle the smell of the resort--it was absolutely delicious. Perfumey flowers and beach. Perfect. 

 

Had dinner on the beach and because we were on west coast time we weren't missing the Tony's (THANK GOD), but, I was getting play by play tweets.

This one totally made my life. DUH.

Also, can we discuss the Tony's real quick? HUGH JACKMAN I LOVE YOU. Also, Newsies, I die. And Once, ohhhh Once how I love thee. Falling Slowly is just--ahhh the most beautiful thing ever. I need to see it again.

And clearly we all need to hotfoot it Peter and The Starcatcher too!

Midway through the Tony's we made an ice cream run. The Diet Coke is there for well, irony, and also to show scale. That's a lot of salted caramel and brownie goodness!

Childhood bestie with her mess of goodness. We spent $25 on ice cream at 10:15PM. We rock.

Balcony view

Didn't get enough sun as I still have my Madird tanlines! Friend's car en route to the service.

Lunch with my big sister!

Early morning in Santa Barbara. Lovely.

Or, Hugh Jackman

Am having a rough week (one of my best friends was tragically taken from this world on Wednesday night), and even though I have some excellent blog fodder (two insomniacs at Canton, whhhhatttt), I can't wrap my mind around well, anything.

Except this card I found on Pinterest.

Only, I'll say "Hugh Jackman". Or, "Colin Firth". But I do love me some Depp.

Now, who wants to go get arrested?!

(image via littlewhitelion.com)

Memorial Day Weekend in Pictures

While you all were hitting the beach and the pools I was hitting up the high desert mountains of Arizona to celebrate the graduation of my baby girl cousin (honestly, who has a graduation on Memorial Day weekend?!) and have a hootin hollerin time with my family.

AND I DID.

Here's the skinny:

High desert mountain view!

Found Mason Jars the size of my head.

Hilarious magnet on my aunt's fridge. WANT.

And when you're in Arizona, you go to the gun range. A family that shoots together or whatever ;)

My fam at cousin's graduation. And no, surprisingly, I'm NOT adopted. (just a dead ringer for my mom)

My aunt's homemade apricot cordial.

And the homemade beer. Please note the lack of Diet Coke products. Y'all are dead to me.

Yeah, my fam is like one second away from being legit bootleggers. Haha. We are descended from Kentucky moonshiners, so, I guess this shouldn't come as a surprise!

Cousin cuddles! Love this little monkey.

And then I spent yesterday recovering from my wild AZ weekend by sitting by the pool--sooooo sunburnt (again!) and then chillin with my bestie That Pink Girl for an afternoon of eats, chats and Target trips.

What did y'all do?

"We'll backpack through the Ritz"

Another quote from our hilarious holiday!

It's no secret that I am a travel snob. I didn't used to be, honest. But, after a year and a half of janky ass hotels and ghetto rental cars, I am over it. Budget travel my ass. Seriously, after dropping my boss off at the W Lakeshore and then me heading to sketchy Michigan Ave on the 10th floor with no functional elevator, just, no.

One of the silver linings of Job From Hell was the fact that I traveled so much and acquired mega travel points on various airlines and hotel chains. Of course, I never had opportunity to use them while at Job From Hell, but, now I do. So, silver lining, counting my blessings and all that, etc, etc.

Now, for Eurostravaganza 2012 I might have gone all out. In Madrid we stayed at the race hotel because I figured it was the best bet--decided if it was super sketch, we'd leave. We weren't in love with it, but, it was centrally located and nice for the price.

Dusk view from our hotel in Madrid

The hellfire kicked in the second we left Madrid.

Train station y'all, train station.

We trained it to Barcelona via "premier classe" on EuroRail which oh.my.gosh. We felt like James Bond for real.

And we had the entire cabin to ourselves.

I'm not even kidding when I say this was the best meal of my life. On a train.

Our hotel in Barcelona? Bomb diggity. Right on Las Ramblas. Rainforest shower head. Automatic blue night lights (NEED THIS IN MY HOUSE).

Obsessed with these stairs.

And a sun terrace--were we spent a majority of our time.

When we weren't flirting with the cute maitre d' or eating the best food ever.

I think it was the train that ruined us. Rach goes "now I understand what Marie Antoinette was thinking. Let them eat cake! Peasants!" and that became the theme for the entire trip.

We arrived in London to our lovely room in Picadilly where we hijacked a zillion mini jams and ate more free scones, biscuits and other carb products. Seriously, it was our idea of heaven.

Jam!

Had fabulous seats at Phantom which were PERFECT for "All I Ask Of You" when he's in the angel--he is RIGHT THERE. Oh my gawd I'm still swooning so freaking hot why is the Phantom always so amazing?!

The Opera Populaire of course!

We ate at Harrod's like fancy ladies. And had two desserts. Because one would be just silly.

Sat fifth row at Les Mis where I cried the entire time and screamed my head off at the curtain call.

Longest running show in history. Word.

Scored FRONT ROW tickets for Sweeney Todd wherein Michael Ball (ya know, the ORIGINAL MARIUS FROM LES MIS. He is an amazing Sweeney, please see it!) spat on Rachel and we could see every detail of the conductor and orchestra. Dumbass had a ring on though.

We flew home business class because honestly, the flight to Madrid in coach was the longest thing ever and although we were quite prepared to quote Seinfeld for ten hours to get home, the karma Gods were with us and we were lucky enough to have an upgrade.We love British Air! They hooked us up!

I've flown Upper Class on Virgin and let me tell you, Business on British Air? FREAKING AMAZING. What the eff is first on British? Do you get your own private suite? I have a lot of questions.

So, while we never planned on becoming James Bond, Marie Antoinette or Princess Victoria on the trip, we got so insanely lucky and I can't actually believe that it happened. I can't believe that we were so freaking blessed to have such an amazing time and got to live the sweet life for at least a little bit.

Which brings me to this: baby sister, please marry for money.

Or, this tiara.

Secret Language

Eurostravaganza 2012 was coupled by many hilarious quotes from sister and myself. I honestly hadn't laughed so much in a long time. I was in stitches the entire trip and I LOVED IT.

A few of our favorites:

"We're British. We only show affection for dogs or horses."

"Peasants!" (said to everyone once we left Madrid and our high roller operation kicked in)

"Let them eat cake!"

"I'm sorry, the riff raff are not allowed."

"Um. We might be the riff raff." (when we realized that everyone in our train car had left and it was just us up there in first class, yo)

"Oh. You're Swedish? Do you know Princess Victoria?" (said to anyone who wasn't British or German)

"He must be--HUNGARIAN!" (done in voice from My Fair Lady)

"Are you fine?" (said in German accent)

"Would you like a green card? We will sponsor you!"

"I bet he smells good." (said about every other business we saw whilst sunning ourselves along the Southbank)

"Shh! He's talking. We listen to British men talk now, please."

"I bet he's gay. I tend to like the gays." (we're looking at you, Phantom)

"Small snack my ass!"

"Oh, Mario!"

I realize none of these are funny to anyone except me and the sister, but, DAMN I can't stop laughing.

Goodness

Sorry for my absence! Been crazed! Once I put my head back on, the Eurostravaganza 2012 posts shall continue.

So, despite my general whininess and the fact that I passed the hell out at yoga last week, there's a ton of goodness going on right now!

I've had like a zillion hilarious conversations with my BFF, my person, the Reba to my Barbara Jean, miss Ren. I swear, I couldn't live without her.

My bestie twinsie Sara had her sweet little baby Mac, making me an auntie yet again. I can't even tell y'all how gobsmacked I am with him. And I'm also kinda obsessed with the word "gobsmacked".

Doesn't he look just like Sara?! (and yes, this is now the background on my phone. I'm in love with a much younger man)

I had a lovely afternoon shopping for dresses with my fave Dallas gal, That Pink Girl where we tried on so much taffeta and then I strong armed her into buying the bicycle dress that I'm absolutely in love with. Oh, and she found the PERFECT white sundress.

So. Much. Taffeta!!! Hilarious.

 I'm super proud of her for branching out and we were cracking up at Anthropologie because everyone was telling her how cute she is (TRUTH!) and she goes "this is the most edifying dressing room ever!"--see friends, this is why we love Anthro.

Oh, and for the record miss TPG strongarmed ME into a lace dress from the Crew that looks just like this number that my sister wife is wearing here:

I can't find the dang dress online, but, it's just like that, only tan. I foresee it when I pond hop next. Very West End approps, yes?

OH. Then the baby sister posted this on my facebook wall.
Y'ALL. It comes out in November. For my birthday. Yet again, my birthday will kick so much ass.

Anyways. Goodness abounds!

What goodness is in your lives right now?

(Isla picture from here)