Love Love Love

It isn't often you are privileged to witness the meeting of soul mates.. the connection of two people so clearly meant for each other that they can actually create warmth in a room just by standing in it together.

Just a couple of years ago, I convinced my friend, Ironika, that our rambunctious little group should stop off at one more bar as our night was quickly fading.. and cuz we weren't really big drinkers, so were we..

We sat at the only table open, next to a couple of guys having a drink and a chat between old friends and quickly, we were apart of their evening.

I don't think anyone knew it right then, but looking back, you say to yourself, 'Well.. of course.. they're so perfect for each other..' and honestly, they really are.

I've never been to a more moving ceremony.. one in which every woman in the audience was held captive by every single word spoken by the groom for the sheer dedication he put behind it and how firmly it conveyed his love for her and every single thing he loved about her.

And when she spoke, there was a communal desire hanging over the garden - a hope that one day the rest of us would feel one ounce of what she was feeling right at that moment, the power of knowing someone loved her just as much as she loved him and not just enough to keep going.. but enough to recognize the significance in their partnership and that this is the one that will carry them thru the years.

It was charming. It was sweet. I cried. A lot. And I read a poem with ponies in it.. and almost couldn't finish it. I was so overwhelmed.

I witnessed love at its finest hour and it was truly beautiful.

Incomplete Sentences Are The New Black

Because I'm working on another post that isn't all that happy.

Because there are lots of happy things going on this week that I should focus on instead.

Because I think better standing up and as soon as I sit to put my ideas down, they vanish mysteriously.

Because Project Runway keeps me up late.

Because Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip is THE. BEST. NEW. SHOW. EVER written by my favorite writers IN THE WHOLE WORLD, Tommy Schlamme and Aaron Sorkin, who used to write The West Wing and then they left and it all went to hell in a handbasket. And because they have a fucking amazing cast. I studied acting. I have a passion.

Because I have bitten all my nails down to pathetic nubs while watching said tv shows.. dammit.

Because Grey's Anatomy starts this week!

Because I'm just plain confused when it comes to guys and how to read what is going on with them. Sigh..

Because I got new jeans a couple of weeks ago and they're FINALLY hemmed!

Because I get the CUTEST new pair of glasses on Wednesday.

Because on THE SAME DAY I get new glasses.. I also get to see SNOW PATROL whom I've been waiting for since, oh, JUNE, for them to return after cancelling that show. Thank you for healing from your throat surgery Mr. Lead Singer of Snow Patrol Guy!!

Because by the end of Wednesday, I may spontaneously combust from joy.

Because I think.. and I say I'm not quite sure yet, but have my fingers crossed.. that Emma, my princess of a kitty, is finally using her litter box again to poo! I think I may have cured her - and you just don't want to know how. Seriously tho, you people have no idea how excited you would be if you had almost 2 months of mysterious cat poo on the carpet - not urine - oh no.. she uses the box for THAT thank GOD.. but not using it for the other for reasons completely unknown to you when you've provided a PERFECTLY GOOD cat litter unit, PURPLE no less! It's practically designer, people! And she may be using it again! So refrain from the jokes.. just hope with me, ok?

Because, and this is one of the more outstanding reasons, one of my best friends is getting married this week to someone who makes her blissfully happy.. and I know he feels the same about her. I'm thrilled that she has found that kind of love and flattered she's included me in the ceremony.. to read a poem about.. ponies. Don't ask people. It's love. It can't be explained.

Because I will be looking pretty damn good in said wedding with a very adorable new dress.. and a Victoria's Secret bra that is fucking phenomenal, if I do say so myself (I mean, people.. my boobs were good before.. but they are simply unstoppable now and what could possibly go wrong when you've got unstoppable boobs?! Really.. don't answer that.. but I'm just sayin.).

Because due to wedding responsibilities this week, there will be a lot of eating, digesting, toasting, drinking, hopefully a little booty shaking after all the crying and plenty of hugging of people we all hardly know I'm guessing.. but unfortunately, there will be little time for blogging. Yeah.. no matter how hard I try I can't see any way that wouldn't be regarded as quite rude so it's just not going to happen.

Because I'm getting a pedicure, manicure and hell yeah, acupuncture for my back on Friday.

Because I just got the latest edition of Real Simple in the mail.. LOVE it!

Because I can't seem to get to bed til midnight or after any damn day since this year started and tonight is no exception.

Because apparently I've learned to function after only 6 hours of sleep and two cups of coffee.

Because I've already started planning my birthday in November and just came up with the Greatest Idea Ever of a photo scavenger hunt which will be FUCKING AWESOME.. and then afterwards, will be The Prom You Never Had cuz I will be turning 35 and I get to do whatever I want, so there.

Because Pixie is planning her first ever adult birthday party - 5 months after her actual yearly mark - but like it matters cuz birthdays are important no matter when they're celebrated. Life should be celebrated and hers is certainly one worthy of that.

Because Treena, ammogirl, thought 'what the hell' and asked to leave Korea, where's she's stationed by the military, a day earlier than she was scheduled to leave to come home to her family before they shipped them all out to Germany for she's-not-exactly-sure-how-many-years-but-at-least-three and was granted permission. An extra day with your husband and children is always better than a day training with gas masks, right Treens?

And last but not least and undeniably a reason for celebration, because the loving father of my two nieces, ages 6 and 4, and incredible husband to Kari, one of my very best and dearest friends of almost 20 years, came out of surgery, the tumor declared benign, he's home from the hospital and she can begin breathing again.. cuz I know you were doing everything you could to be strong, sugar. It's going to be ok.

A Blonde And A Redhead Walk Into A Bar..

The only evidence of a fabulous couple of days of the Labor Day holiday spent with friend and fellow blogger, Lady Miss Marquise, formerly of the UK and now currently residing only minimal hours away in Miss D's favorite just-over-the-border city, Vancouver, BC.

We shopped, we chatted and caught up, we drank fabulous wine and laughed at our addiction to our new Macs while sitting next to each other, each luscious laptop placed firmly on our sexy laps. Even in person, it's hard to to disconnect, but we managed just fine, didn't we Miss?

Til next we meet, sugar..

Now For Something Completely Different

I thought after the last post the air here was a bit heavy. Thanks to Pomgirl for the tag - I knew you were talking to me, girl.

1. Three things that scare me:
water I can't see thru
death
auditioning

2. Three people that make me laugh:
my friend Keith
"Ace", who is new boy and chose his own nickname - blame him people.
Miss Doxie

3. Three things I hate the most:
spiders
Seattle traffic
the current administration

4. Three things I don't understand:
regular people who smell bad and don't realize it
passiveness
the admiration of Britney Spears, Lindsey Lohan and/or Tara Reid

5. Three things I'm doing right now:
talking to Ace
lying in bed
typing

6. Three things I want to do before I die:
travel to Paris/Barcelona/London/Rome/etc..
feel secure in love
buy a house

7. Three things I can do:
make amazingly rockin-good hummus
sing
make people laugh

8. Three ways to describe my personality:
loud
the sidekick chihuahua
little but fierce

9. Three things I can't do:
curl my tongue
knit
draw

10. Three things I think you should listen to:
both Snow Patrol cd's
'Somewhere Over The Rainbow/What A Wonderful World' medley by Israel Kamakawiwo'ole
'At Last' by Etta James - loudly

11. Three things you should never listen to:
Rush Limbaugh
GW Bush
the Religious Right

12. Three things I'd like to learn:
how to save money
Spanish
how to talk to animals

13. Three favourite foods:
hummus
chocolate
all Mexican/all Thai

14. Three beverages I drink regularly:
water
coffee
bubbly lime water with ruby red grapefruit juice

15. Three shows I watched as a kid:
Happy Days
Welcome Back, Kotter
The Facts of Life

16. Three people I'm tagging to do this:
My three favourite readers.. you know who you are..

5 Years Later..

It's impossible to even try to write about my silly little life today when the anniversary of September 11th hangs over the day. I feel compelled to review the memorial pictures and articles out of respect for everyone who lost their lives in such a terrifying way and all their families and friends who still mourn their passings. My apologies if you decide not to read the rest of this, but I feel the need to write something.

I remember the day so clearly and once I heard the radio announcement, barely awake and ready to jump in the shower to start my morning, I ran to the tv to see the first plane protruding out of the north tower, already engulfing the upper floors in flames. Everyone still thinking it an accident and glued to the screen, we all then watched the second plane shortly thereafter fly into the south tower and the realization hit everyone at the same time that this was no accident at all.

I was numb - as was everyone I ran into. A world-wide shock had set in and just getting thru the trivialness of each day, especially that first one, seemed wrong - like there should've been more we could've done, but we weren't there. I could only feel helpless and small, besides being grateful that my friends who lived there were all ok.

A couple of weeks ago, I happened to come across A&E's version of Flight 93, watched the whole thing feeling my heart break over and over and then unable to wrench myself away, sat thru their docudrama, The Anatomy of September 11th detailing those horrible 102 minutes from beginning to end of the attacks on the World Trade Center. These are the things that I learned:

* The buildings were a feat of design and architecture for the time they were built - each floor a full acre in size with very few support beams in the middle. Unfortunately, with nothing in its way to slow the fire down, it contributed to how quickly each floor was engulfed in flames.

* Each building was actually designed to withstand hurricane winds, earthquake, and believe it or not, a plane - however, only a 707, which was the largest plane made then, from what I understand, and one only going standard to slow speeds - not the extreme speeds kept by the terrorists to do as much damage as possible. Flight 93 alone was going in excess of 600 knots - enough to effectively break the plane apart.

* The main reason the terrorists chose transatlantic flights was because each one carried 10,000 gallons of fuel.

* When usually each steel plate between floors would've been covered in some other type of protective casing, they decided on a cheaper way and went with fire-retardent foam, which could easily come off with any jarring and had been in process of being replaced, many parts still needing covered. With the planes hitting so hard and so fast, most of the retardant was knocked off leaving the steel vulnerable to flames.

* The first plane severed the main water line that fed the sprinkler system within the north tower rendering it completely useless other than making the stairs used for escape routes extremely slippery and dangerous.

* People in the south tower tried to evacuate their building before the second plane hit, but security and rescue instructed them to go back to their offices as debris was falling from the first tower and could endanger them. This was standard procedure. One group of 12 people decided to listen tho one of them was hesitant. At the urging of his co-workers, he got back in the elevator to head back somewhere beyond the 90th floor. His co-workers didn't survive and he only did due to the courage of another civilian hearing his cry for help and carrying him out of his burning office.

* The fire and police in New York traditionally have a difficult time working together - this was no exception - not that they didn't work together, but the lack of communication contributed to many a casualty. Fire communication was old and hadn't been updated. It didn't work everywhere in the towers so many of them did not receive the warning that the first tower looked as tho it could collapse and to evacuate immediately 30 minutes before it actually did. Shockingly, the police and fire departments also don't share the same communication frequency so information that one department received wasn't heard by the other. Some police tried to warn the firemen they ran into, but they were ignored. When fire rescurers ran into the second building, not only did they not know the first tower was collapsing, but had no idea their building was in danger of that as well.

* It took 8 seconds - only eight - for each tower to collapse. Take time to register just how little that really is.

* Cantor Fitzgerald L.P, in the first tower occupying the top 101st thru 105th floors, lost 658 employees alone - about two-thirds of its workforce.

* There was a third building - a federal records building - and knock yourself out about conspiracy theories on that one - that also collapsed and is rarely discussed.

* 2,749 death certificates were filed relating to the WTC attacks as of February 2005. 13 people died after the disaster, from injuries received on September 11th. The average age of victims was 39.

Again I send what thoughts and prayers I can to those who are still struggling with loss due to this awful day.

May we all be lucky enough to recognize what beauty there still is in the world while we're here to appreciate it. And while you're at it - maybe tell everyone you know how much you care about them. Just because.

** Update ** I've disabled comments on this post cuz some people obviously can't appreciate a kind word directed to one moment in time without criticizing me for not including all the suffering from all the event's repercussions since then. I just want to say all the casualties affect me and not that I owe anyone an apology for what I choose to pay tribute to, but if I were to mourn every life lost due to our government's insincere dealings with other countries, I would never stop crying. And honestly, I have a lot more compassion than most people I know who've chosen to put this event and the war itself as far behind them as they can. I acknowledge it's there, it's awful, too many lives are lost every single day and I acknowledge it disgusts me.

I also choose to look forward, I choose to see power in peace, I choose to see the good things in the world and appreciate them more than I focus on the negative. I only wanted to memorialize this event for myself and my readers - in my way. It's not necessarily the right way or the perfect way - it's just how I knew to write about it.

I have no qualms whatsoever about rejecting negative comments. This site has no place for them. If you have anything other than a complimentary view or positive feedback, please find another place to vent your diatribe cuz I'm not interested.

I Left My Heart In Seattle And The Wine In San Francisco

Have you noticed a weekend getaway is never otherwise discussed as a 'vacation?' That's cuz it isn't one.. no no.. truly, it's just time enough to get there and get back, hence the term 'getaway' cuz really, it only allows you time enough to breathe in the air, try the food, maybe have a nap and get thru the all the rolling eyes in airport security on your way home. That's how I felt when I left California last week. I just wasn't ready to go.

This visit to the bay area is the one and only time I am victim allowed the privilege to ride with Scott in his bright blue jeep. God love a jeep, you know? It's wind-in-your-hair sexy.. right? Yeah.. not so much. Honestly. First of all, he'd removed the doors, which he always does in the summer (and I use the term 'summer' loosely for the San Francisco area - but to his defense, he does live in Oakland so it's warmer there).. so you know.. there's that.. risking death factor.. well, that's IF he hadn't strapped me in like they do when you ride a roller coaster. Actually, it's better than that even - more like, um.. the space shuttle. Because really, people drive like they're training for the Indy 500 in California.. and in their new cars where apparently, there are no turn signals built in.. but now that I think about it, I never once saw a miles per hour sign. I think it's just suggested anyway. But if there were to be some sort of accident in the jeep due to the insanity that is a California driver, I think no matter what happened to my lower half, my upper body and internal organs would be completely unharmed and hey, there's always someone I can make happy with the harvesting of my organs. Tho.. um.. that sounds.. not in the way I meant it..

So the trip south started fine - there was no confiscation of any type of dangerous lip glossing materials cuz I'd checked them all. Hahaha airport security! AND they allowed me to bring chapstick on board - NOT that they were checking thru the gate like they said they'd do. Tho they say you can't bring any type of liquids on board, I saw many a woman's bag large enough to hide a bottle of water, like the one I was forced to throw away just minutes after purchasing in a kiosk beyond security and near the gates cuz I had not a bag in which to conceal it. Hmph. But then we were in the air and I flipped open the snazzy new Mac of mine and watched Good Night, and Good Luck, which I can't recommend enough.

Lalala.. flyflyfly.. Scott picked me up.. drivedrivedrive (you can't go anywhere in California without it NOT taking 30 minutes at minimum to get there - I say California needs to find their own source of oil cuz clearly they are hogging it - hello!).. waitwaitwait (Scott had to work for a couple more hours) and THEN we were off to dinner with his friends.

Scott and his friends are beer enthusiasts.. so where do you go for good beer in the city? Why The Schnitzelhaus of course! Um.. I had the wine, but have never officially had any schnitzel that I knew of.. and seriously, you should go there. And listen to the German waitress cuz tho she's quite sassy, she knows what she's talking about. Mmmmmm!

Saturday's purpose was wine tasting so to prepare for that, we hit our traditional Berkely stop for breakfast, Picante, which was the cheapest place we ate all weekend (did I mention San Fran is expensive?!) and I indulged in not one, but TWO cups of the Cafe de Olla, which never disappoints and again, I asked for the recipe. It may just be orange peels, cinnamon, cloves and brown sugar, but it's special brown sugar and I live for this trip SOLELY to partake of this amazing coffee, but don't tell Scott that. Then, off we went to pick up our friend Anne-Marie and headed to Alexander Valley, tastebuds warmed up, ready and waiting!

Healdsburg area wineries were the desitination this time cuz last year we visited a nice portion of the ones in Sonoma. We tried Jordan Winery first, but they only allow tastings by appointment! Well, la-dee-da, said we.. even tho it was a massive and incredibly beautiful estate.



And we said hello to this little guy cuz it certainly wasn't his fault (the gecko, um.. not the statue's 'little guy'.. ahem).

So instead, we hit Stryker, pun intended, of course, cuz mostly we liked the name and I ended up with a lovely bottle of their 'Old Vine' Zinfandel which was rich and full-bodied. So far so good!

Next stop was the Robert Young Estate Winery, which obviously held a long family history and tho the 2002 Scion was fabulous, it was also $55 a bottle. Um.. ow. So we took a picture of this curious llama instead. For free. We made sure to stay spitting distance away at least.

We went back to the cute town of Healdsburg for the tasting at Lake Sonoma Winery cuz we were suddenly on a NEW and EXCITING mission for bubbly! Last year we started our tastings with Gloria Ferrer sparkling wines and were pretty disappointed by their lack of um.. sparkle. But ohhh.. this may have been worth the wait. And I may even have bought a sexy little bottle for a friend's upcoming wedding. I wanted a bottle of their 'old vine' zinfandel (and why you have to put it in quotes, I don't know, but everyone seemed to have some sort of 'old vine' stuff. I don't get it. Wine is beyond my understanding. I just like it. A lot.), which was really more like a yummy dessert wine without the too-syrupy-sweet factor, but I refrained for fear of the havoc already wreaked on my pocketbook. I'm kicking myself now, but I really couldn't be responsible for my choices made at that time cuz honestly, I was basically lit before we arrived.

Only two more people.. stay with me!


We only had about 45 minutes left before all the wineries closed in the area, so the next stop, was by far my favorite, even tho we barely bothered with the wine. Roshambo Winery was instantly different from all the other winery atmospheres we'd come across. It felt bright and hip and there's an immediate sense of sass, which of course, you know would appeal to me.

The first thing we saw was this larger than life characature cut out of a girl in boots and vivid red skirt with boxing gloves and a motto in large letters on the wall that says, "Fighting for fun in a winey world." Not to mention we quickly noticed there was no one, and I mean, NO ONE, older than we were in the entire winery. We'd stumbled across a new idea obviously. And tho we drank our samplings quickly, and they were good, we were more preoccupied with that female characature we saw when we first came in as all of us started to notice.. um.. she sorta looked a lot like me.. like.. a lot a lot. And after I read up on the owner, Naomi Brilliant (her married name.. but damn, what luck!), it's supposed to be her, and we don't really look alike.. and mind you, I'm was not in fighting shape (see: will be gym'ing it harder to get ready for this wedding I'll be in for all of 5 minutes) but still.. see for yourself.


Our last winery was Rabbit Ridge, and I'm barely going to mention them cuz the wine didn't suck, but they weren't very nice as they were trying to close being ten minutes to 5pm - and we felt sort of rushed and in their way. I did get a bottle there tho and away we whisked our saucy selves back to the city.. carefully for dinner.

We had in mind to whip up a fabulous meal and oh did we tho basically we ended up with an eclectic menu of fresh rolls, salmon, chicken, asparagus and caprese salad enough for an army. I blame the mad proportions on the drinking all day, but it was a decadent end to a decadent day - even if Scott forced the bunny to partake - tho it doesn't look as tho he was fighting it.


I haven't even gotten to the race - and I'll just touch on it quickly, but it was much different than the Wine Country Classic we usually hit in June. This was the Indy Racing League's Grand Prix of Sonoma at Infineon Raceway, one of the more challenging tracks, and one of the big draws was Danika Patrick, who I was really excited about. And tho the whole race - 80 laps - wasn't as thrlling as I'd have liked it to be, I learned a lot about it from Scott while watching the cars go round and round. Apparently, there is some strategy to refueling and re-tiring, or whatever it's called, and the girl was in third place solidly for a long time until she was forced to pit for fuel very near the end of the race. Ugh - it killed me cuz after that she couldn't get past 8th as there was really only one corner out of the 11 to pass and make headway - and we sat with a perfect view of it - tho this is a crappy shot cuz the corner was actually more to the right and it looks as tho I've cut it out - damn! But this was right before the race began (pics of the actual cars moving would've been all blurry and given you headaches - see? I'm looking out for you!).



So holding steady at the front, Marco Andretti, Mario's barely-legal grandson, beat Danika to first with his car running on fumes a 'different' pit strategy they said. Oh and I guess I should mention by doing that he also became the youngest winner in IndyCar Series history - like ever. Never mind that he wasn't even old enough to drink the winning wine toast and it had to be substituted with sparkling cider.. but ok, yes, he has some skills.. still, next time, Danika.. it'll be yours! I'm sure of it!

On our way back to Scott's 'hood pad', we met some of his friends at this small-town divey bar they discovered well outside the city with an extensive imported beer list, but since it was overtaken by a large group of leather-clad and, for lack of a better word, dirty, motorcyclists and their um.. seen-better-days girlfriends, it felt more like we'd walked into the movie, Roadhouse, and I swear I was looking for a disheveled Patrick Swayze to come out and kick some ass. Yet Scott seemed intrigued, so I thought ok, how bad can it be.. until one of the guys called after another shouting, 'Hey, Coyote!', I had to confirm with Scott that that's what we just heard, he agreed we did, we watched Coyote and his friend have some intense words where alpha-male-ness seemed to be battling out the importance of something to do with all their bikes, Coyote clearly reigning the leader and I think that's when I asked Scott if he we could maybe eat somewhere else.. he obliged and I was ever so grateful.

Scott dropped me off the next morning at the Oakland airport where, somehow, I FORGOT to check those dangerous lipglossy materials and THEY DIDN'T NOTICE! Gotta say my lips were loving the flight home, oh yes they were! And once in the air, I loaded the Mac with the next movie of choice, Elizabethtown, which was cute, if not a tad too long (like I have room to talk here), and waited my arrival back home.

There you have it.. an overdue post about an overdue vacation, and fantastically lengthy, but I'm sure y'all skimmed it anyway understand. And I raise a glass of gorgeous California red to you, my lovelies. Hope you have some good and detailed stories for me this week. Mwah!