24 Hours in Vegas

One of my friends was in Vegas for the annual CES convention, so I decided to be spontaneous and book a flight out to spend a night with her at the Cosmo.  After all, who can turn down free accommodations in Vegas?  We squeezed in a lot in the 24 hours that I was there!  I got in around 2PM and immediately met up with her at the Venetian hotel.  We made our way over to our hotel and squeezed in a quick workout.  Well, I actually didn't work out but I did guide my friend through one of my HIIT workouts!

It was a beautiful clear night and the view from our room was breathtaking.  I really love a skyline view.

Afterwards, we went to dinner at Scarpetta.  We ordered the braised short rib on risotto for an appetizer and shared the lobster pasta, brussels sprouts, and cod.  The food was pretty disappointing to be quite honest, but the bomboli dessert was pretty good.  Afterward, we headed to the Palms resort up to the penthouse for a private party.  I think my friends and I were the only females there.  Keeping an open mind, it was actually a really great time meeting her coworkers.  I can't remember the last time I laughed so hard.  

Afterwards, I was craving fries so I stopped by Wahlburgers and ordered the Walburger, tator tots and fries.  Darn, it wasn't as amazing as I hoped it would be and I paid for eating all that grease the entire next day!

The next day, we ate at Wicked Spoon and oh my gosh, it was the absolute worst!  I barely ate my $30 worth.  The buffet was just horrible - wasn't it supposed to be one of the best a few years back?  No wonder there was no line even at 11AM on a Saturday.  I guess you can see the trend by now...we didn't have much luck with food.

Finally, I hit the tables before leaving and lost $80.  Boohoo.  But, my trip was still worth it because I got to spend quality time with my sweet friends!

September Noteworthies

Fall is upon us!  Hopefully this crazy hot weather will start cooling down.  I escaped the heat for a super quick 36 hour trip to Seattle to visit one of my good friends.  Staying at her beautiful home was similar to staying at a resort.  She lives right on Lake Washington and the weather was perfect!  We had dinner at my favorite restaurants in Seattle - Purple Cafe and Potbelly, took an early morning walk to Starbucks, went for a 3 mile run, and had a delicious hot pot meal her Mom prepared for us.

 Taking a moment to relax at the end of the pier that extends from her backyard (seriously!)

Kayaking on the lake!  Her 6 year old had to teach me how, lol!

 View from her living room!

So, BOOK REVIEW.  I read the most amazing book this month, best out of the nine I've ready so far for 2016!  The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah!  I had been waiting for this book to become available for over a month now at the library, so I finally ended up buying my own copy, and am so glad I did!

Seriously, do yourselves a favor and pick up this book right away.  It is so beautifully tragic!  The story takes place during WWII in France and centers around two sisters who struggle to stay alive and resist the German occupation of France.  They are both estranged from their Father and have walked different paths in life which extends into the roles they play during the war.  One of them met her husband early on in life and has built a family living simply on the countryside.  The younger of the two is rebellious and spontaneous.  Both do everything they can to persevere through the most trying times, witnessing tragedies along the way, but always finding strength to move forward.  Read it now!

That's What Friends Are For

It has been an excruciating couple of weeks where I have found myself on my knees at any given time and scouring the internet and the Bible for any hope that I can cling on to.  Typically, I internalize my struggles, but this time, I felt so weak that I had no choice but to lean on friends to pick me up off the ground and lend me their shoulders to cry on.  I am truly amazed at how they have been there for me.

Throughout my childhood and into my early 20's, I never felt like I had a core group of friends that would be there for me through thick and thin.  In fact, my so called friendships were filled with betrayals leaving to me to feel utterly alone and unworthy of true friendship.  Today, I find myself surrounded by so much love and support that I am truly humbled.  This is a testament to how good God is...that He will never give us more than we can handle and because I have Him and these dear friends in my life, one step at a time, I will be able to move forward.  Most of them don't have access to my blog, but even still, I feel compelled to "publicly" declare my gratitude for a few who truly have gone above and beyond to love and support me.

J&D - This couple I met only a year ago and J has been there for me beyond belief.  I didn't realize the magnitude of her commitment to me until the day I texted her the news and she immediately cancelled her girls night out with her friends and drove to my house to merely sit and listen.  Her hubby D joined us shortly after and together we sat in my backyard talking and laughing until 4AM.  They have opened their home to me and Echo when we needed to spend the night and have checked in with me almost every day to make sure I was "okay".  I know that though our friendship is young, they will always have a place in my heart.

D - She is a long time friend that I first met through work and has been with me every step of the way.  I try not to bug her with my problems because she juggles a full time job and is Mommy to 2 adorable kids, but when she called to say hello, I immediately shared with her my struggle.  I told her I needed to get away and without ANY hesitation, she booked a flight to meet me in my city of choice.  I now have something to look forward to over the next couple weeks.  Seriously, I am so humbled by her kindness and heart.  I love her.

K - I first met K back in 2002 during a trip to Hawaii and then lost touch for several years.  We recently reconnected and timing couldn't have been better.  He has listened to me cry for hours over the phone and repeatedly helps talk me through the process, picking up my broken pieces one at a time.  I know his heart truly has my best interest in mind and that he is there to listen to me fumble over the same regrets, the same fears, and the same "what-if" scenarios with endless patience.  Gosh, how did I end up so blessed to randomly meet someone who would end up helping me through one of the worst times of my life?

B&H - These two have the busiest schedules with demanding jobs, but B has reached out to me on a regular basis just to check in.  That is HUGE for her because she is not the best at keeping in touch, so for her to reach out several times a week...it's amazing!  Even when she and H were on their pseudo-honeymoon, she managed to text me to let me know she was still there, even if her responses were not as quick.  H has offered me insight and hope and has given me tangible advice to help me take one step forward, a day at a time.  What comfort it gives me to know that I can rely on them to offer me sound and practical advice.

S - This girl...she's really in the thick of it with me.  Like the others, she checks in with me on a regular basis and always offers to meet me wherever I am so that I am never alone.  I think she was the first person I called when the crap hit the fan and she listened to me cry for hours without judgement.  I love her because she loves me so much that it actually emotionally frustrates her to see me going through this.  Those are the best friends...the ones who get angry with you and cry alongside with you.

G - My amazing brother.  He isn't one to get emotional nor is he very good with comforting words, but his actions speak so loudly.  I know that I can rely on him during this period and that means the world to me.  I love him.

Last and certainly not least...God.  The mere fact that God has surrounded me with such an amazing support group says it all.  He may not be physically visible, but I know that He is here with me through my amazing friends and family.  I am learning what it means to truly rely on Him and to let go and allow Him to fight my battles for me.  I know that He can make all things new and can resurrect what is already dead, if it is in His will.  He knows the desires of my heart.  I don't have to do anything as my only "job" is to trust in Him, to seek Him and to rely on him 100%.  How comforting is that?  

Santa Barbara Wedding

We spent this past weekend in Santa Barbara celebrating the marriage of one of my oldest friends.  It is truly a blessing to remain so close to someone you met over two decades ago and be a part of such a pivotal moment in their life.

The chandelier gave such a classy and elegant feel

 With the beautiful bride

Baby Sprinkle

This past weekend, I threw a surprise baby sprinkle for one of my girlfriends who is having a baby girl!  The reason why it was a surprise is because this girl would never want to trouble anyone into doing anything for her, so if she knew, she would definitely have discouraged me from it.  She is always thinking of others and putting others before herself that it was great to make her feel as loved as she makes all of us feel.  It was a priceless moment as she walked in and was immediately overwhelmed by all the love surrounding her that it made all of us tear up alongside her!

 Crafts table with "Well wishes for baby" cards and a headband making station

 The theme I was trying to aim for was a girly Anthropologie pink/gold tea party

 I rented vintage tea cups, saucers, plates, kettles and books from an amazing rental place called Etablir. For favors, I bought 2x3 muslin bags and filled them with tea bags with a cute label that read "A Baby Is Brewing..."

 We had a lot of yummy treats from Trader Joe's and homemade chocolate covered strawberries that were delicious!  J helped tremendously with making the sandwiches (PB&J, cucumber, and egg salad).

 Here she is on her way in!

Robot Themed Baby Shower

This past weekend, I along with five other girls threw our gal pal a robot themed baby shower.  Everyone did an amazing job in welcoming her baby boy.  I was very pleased with how uniformly and seamlessly everything came together even though we all had our own tasks and worked independently of each other.  

 Welcome baby boy Lee!

 Drink bar with fresh fruity water and lemonade

 Fun party favors

Amazing dessert bar!

Planning crew plus the Momma to be (and someone's kid?)

With J - I have so many wrinkles now! :(

Event Planning: Baby Shower

This past weekend, I hosted my very first baby shower.  The theme was "Mustache and Bowties" and with a black, white and a splash of dark red color scheme.  This gal is all about chic and after 3+ months of brainstorming and planning, I hope I hit the nail on the head!  Here are some photos taken by professional photographer Jeremy Chou.  

With the beautiful Momma-to-be

I handmade the pom poms and taped them to the ceiling.  Lesson learned, these are quick to prepare but take a long time to fluff, especially if you're a perfectionist like myself.  Also, smaller ones look better than bigger ones.  The main entrees didn't arrive until after the shower had started (grrr!) which is why there are a couple of empty serving trays.

A fun game for the guests "Do not say Baby" (left) and my diaper cake on display (right)

 Some thoughts for the baby when he is older

Delicious red velvet cake with a DIY mustache and bowtie banner topper (left) and delicious sweets for dessert (right)

 We hung a line with five onesies along the hallway (too bad I don't have a photo of the entire thing)

Here are some photos that I personally took that weren't captured in the photographer's blog.

I found the perfect bag to collect the books the guests brought to start baby's library.  The inner lining has mustaches!

Wide shot of the room.  Banner made by yours truly announcing the baby's name placed above the games table

An early shot of the gifts table which quickly became full once guests started to arrive

 I am not a florist nor do I aspire to be one, but this was my best shot at creating an arrangement.  I reused the mason jars from my wedding, removed the burlap and lace to replace with a black and white ribbon

All in all, I had a great time hosting and planning the event.  Like my wedding, I didn't feel stressed at all until the nth hour.  Luckily, I had a few hands on deck, one of them my hubby who helped me pull everything together.  I now know how the folks on HGTV feel when they're working against a tight timeline and things come together just in time!

Camping @ Pt. Mugu

This weekend, we drove up PCH to Pt. Mugu in Malibu for a quick getaway camping trip.  I had no idea this little gem was right in our backyard and so easily accessible!  We had so much fun taking Echo to the beach for the first time, playing Taboo and bonding around the campfire with good friends, and sleeping in the wilderness. 

Echo is excited to go on his first camping trip!

Echo's first time at the beach

My dirty little rascal

First time in sand and digging his way to China!

Echo was shivering because it was so cold!

We topped off the weekend with some pool time at my parents' place.  Echo's going to love the water - he just doesn't know it yet!

Duffy Boat

This weekend, one of my friends and her fiance treated a group of us to a duffy boat ride around Newport Bay!  All drinks and food were provided by the generous couple and a great time was had by all.  We sailed around the bay on a beautiful southern California day daydreaming about owning a boat and living in a million-dollar home.  Maybe one day...

All the ladies

Seal watching

A is so funny in the background, with the heart cookie

Paying tribute to Whitney

Thank you B&H!  We had a great time!

LA County Fair

Junk food, farm animals, ferris wheels, and carnival games have a way of bringing you back to your childhood, and sometimes, it's nice to feel like a kid again.  I was pleasantly surprised by the LA County Fair as I had been to the OC Fair a couple times before and wasn't very impressed.  The LA County fair was a lot bigger, had legitimate toys you could win by playing the games, a variety of food, and adorable farm animals to pet.

In the petting area - I hear the sheep are very soft!

I had my eye on this prize from the moment I walked in, and I got to go home with it!

Little piglets sleeping together

A shooting game where you had to shoot off the entire red star - so close!

And of course, the obligatory junk food meal