Viva Las Vegas!

Vegas Baby! Well not quite yet... My hubby and I are going back to Vegas for my Golden Birthday (which is August 25th mark your calender!) Clearly I couldn't be more excited to head back to the desert. My husband & I were just there for the first time back in March to get married.. but not that cheesy little white chapel wedding but a beautiful mountain wedding. 

It was the best day of my life so far and I wouldn't have changed anything. Since we had so much fun in Vegas we needed another reason to go back so why not for my BIG birthday. I mean hello I have about to have a quarter life crisis here people. My hubby & I aren't big drinkers, gamblers, or clubbers so you think why Vegas? Because they have the best shows, attractions, weather, & food! We had the best time at the wax museum it was the cheapest thing we did and the funniest. Here is a little window of our wax museum adventure...

My Hubby with Mr. Playboy himself

Just chillin w/Snoop 

Oh Sorry Tiger, I thought you were checking me out like one of your mistresses

Me & Brit Brit

So if you ever go to Vegas I highly recommend going to the wax museum. This time around for our big Vegas Adventure we are going to one of my favorite restaurants Lavo and we are going back to see the Carrot Top comedy show. Let me explain this when we were in Vegas in March my husband really wanted to go see him and I'm not one for comedy skits because of two things, one: I'm not going to get the joke and I'll be the one person in the audience who isn't laughing and two: I'll get the joke 5 minutes then can't stop laughing and ultimately embarrass my husband. However he won this battle (because he won that one I won in going to see O by Cirque du Soeli -- AMAZING!!!) and I have to admit Carrot Top is hysterical and he does prop comedy so there was no way I couldn't get the jokes. So I promised the hubby that we would go back and see him. I just can't wait to lay at the pool and see where the next 25 years take me! Let the countdown begin to Vegas! 

Super Size Me

Anyone who knows me really well knows that I am a Starbucks whore I mean it mind as well be noted in my blood type. So I normally drink my Venti no foam sugar free vanilla soy latte (not a killer on calories people!) but since it is July and about 100 degrees in Chicago I needed to switch to an iced beverage. I normally will do my hot drink but make it cold but there does get a point where it is so hot out that coffee just doesn't do it. So I thought I'll get a iced tea lemonade because that sounds so refreshing so I order the Black Tea Lemonade lightly sweetened and my Starbucks guy (who does know me by name) goes would you like to try it in the new trenta size. I was like woah! I had heard back in December that Starbucks was thinking about introducing a new size and certain markets were getting to test it out but there were some stipulations on this new size and what exactly you could order in that size. I had to at least try this new size once and see what all the hype was about. Yah it is super size for the Starbucks world and let me tell ya it is also a pass for having to pee much more frequently. I took a pic of my finished trenta cup. 

That's HUGE and also cost ya $4.20. I came across a very funny article about the new size click here that really puts this new size into perspective. And if that wasn't enough in that article here is a great photo of what this new size means and in comparsion to some other things... 

That diagram really puts it into perspective. Well as they say in Latin: Veni, Vidi, Vici which means I came, I saw, I conquered. And now I will no longer be drinking something that holds more fluid ounces than my stomach. 

Hell on Earth

I never knew one place could attract every bitter person in society into one job that would be the DMV. I came across this comic that I thought summed up the DMV very well.

    Funny no? I thought it was perfect. Anyways I had to go to the DMV because since getting married in March I had changed my last name officially on many documents with the exception of my drivers license, I was dreading this and I had heard horror stories of the social security office but that was easy breezy so I knew I was in for double trouble with the DMV. So since I was on my stay-cation and this was one of my To Do's while on my stay-cation I thought I have to do it today I just had too. Plus I am traveling in August (back to Vegas baby!! Woo-hoo!!) and I just saw doom looming with my airline ticket in my new last name and my drivers license in my maiden name. My worst fear would be that the TSA wouldn't let me fly and I would have to watch my plane take off as I was stuck in the terminal. Well I wasn't going to let that happen so I was just going to do it. So mid day on Friday on a hot summer day I haul my ass into the DMV. Now I think everyone else decided to go to the DMV at the same time as well. I had such anxiety of going because I thought gosh what if I forgot something then I'll have to come back but I was sure I had everything. I felt prepared I had my documents to change my name, my money (cash just in case they don't take plastic- phew! They stopped taking Visa so good thing I had cash), and everything organized in my Louis Speedy. I was set. However walking into the DMV I had this flashback to a book I read called Bitter is the New Black by Jennifer Lancaster (check out the book hilarious!) because Jennifer went into the unemployment office dressed to the 9's and suited in her new Prada handbag and the unemployment clerk was so rude to her and not helpful because Jennifer didn't look like she needed the unemployment. I thought this could happen to me! I mean I'm sure they were going to notice my bag and my rock on my hand and think they would give me a hard time. So I was shoved in line like cattle to wait to talk to some person to tell them why I was there. So while waiting in this narrow line with this woman behind me who wanted to stand so close to me I couldn't help but start people watching and looking around. The first thing my eyes land on is a sign, "Disorderly conduct or language will be asked to leave the premise". My first thought was mm nice- safe place I'm in then my second thought was gosh I wish I could get one of those for work for when I have disorderly customers and can't turn them around with my charm. So I'm finally hustled to the first check point to tell them why I am at the DMV. I decided early on that being very polite will get me the furthest. So I am issued a ticket and directed to sit down. I now felt like I was at the deli in the supermarket waiting for my number to be called and act like I just won the lotto. I didn't want to make direct eye-contact with anyone because then that would give them the approval to start awkward conversation with me. So I just pretend to look for something in my handbag but then that only takes up about a minute of my time. I did bring my iPad but then I don't want to attract one of those flash mobs that have been hitting the city. Okay maybe I am being dramatic but you know I'd rather be safe than sorry.  FINALLY my number was called to go speak to another unfriendly person but I thought I could kill this person with kindness. Nope wrong again- he wasn't even phased that I was smiling and being polite. They must take a class on how to be the most unpleasant human beings. Is that even possible?? Now I would think anyone who has a soul if someone is changing their name because they got married the person on the receiving end may say congrats. Nooo not at the DMV because that would be thoughtful. So I finally sign my new name about a million times in order to get a new drivers license and state ID and $25 later I am now in line to wait for my photo to be taken. Now I would like to put a disclaimer here. I did not have any make up on and I had my hair in a very high messy ponytail bun which you can't see in the photo and now just makes my hair look like I just woke up out of bed. I look like I just came out of the Sahara desert because I am tan and flushed so all in all this is the photo that I am now haunted with as a ugly reminder of my experience at the DMV.... 

I promise you that this is not what I look like. Here is a pic of what I truly look like... 

Latest Obsession

I have no idea how this latest obsession came about with Hello Kitty. I know it is very juvenile and also very Japanese- like I said no clue where this came from. However that damn cat is one money maker, I mean Paris Hilton is always flaunting her Hello Kitty stuff around and Kimora Lee Simmons has the exclusive rights to create all Hello Kitty jewelry. So I'm not completely off my rocker...yet anyways. When I went to Vegas I got this adorable Hello Kitty Swavorski crystal hoodie and then check out my latest find at Target!

Adorable right?? Plus it was only $12.99! I must be a little ahead of a trend because now all of a sudden everywhere I look there is Hello Kitty. Forever 21 has shirts, Vans even has Hello Kitty Shoes 

Don't worry I'm not going overboard here. Just a few things here and there. However I was looking at some Hello Kitty stuff online and came across people who make cookies that look like Hello Kitty. OMG I want these for my Birthday coming up next month. Last year it was all about the Sprinkle cupcakes which my hubby got for me (thank you doll loved them!) but this year it's about these cookies. Check them out... 

How cute?? So anyone who can make these please contact me because I want them! 

Bigger isn't always better

I have learned the Italian culture is BIG I mean everything is BIG- they have big families, they love big, and they fight big. 
I know this first hand because I married into a traditional Italian family. Now let me start by saying I come from the smallest family ever. My family at events consists of 5 or 6 if someone brings a spouse. I know we are busting out. Haha.
Now my husbands family and my now in-laws I can't even count how many there are. It's almost like a colony or a small country for godsake. It's so large that at Christmas they charge you to spend & celebrate it with the family. That detail is a whole different post because that doesn't sit well with me. I mean really? Is this a corporation we are running here?!? Actually the "Christmas party" is actually the single event that basically got me ousted from the family.
Sadly I have fallen into all the buckets of the BIG Italian culture: my husband has a big family, I'm a lover not a fighter (until you really piss me off then I get fiesty), and fight big and yes I've done that with his family. Now by fighting I mean by words not throwing punches because A. I've never been in a fight once in my life B. They just aren't worth ruining a great manicure .. Duh. And if you're thinking if I had my Teresa moment with flipping a table sadly no.
Now I'm sure you're probably thinking I'm having issues with his BIG family because simply it's quantity by numbers. Actually the number of them doesn't intimidate me or make me nervous one bit. I'm very capable of working a room and holding my own. I guess what bothers me is the family runs more like a dictatorship rather than a democracy and I'm a very liberal, open-minded, & opinionated person. I'm very much a say it like it is person & don't sugar coat things. Maybe this is a good trait to have maybe it isn't but it is who I am- take it or leave it. If the "leader" says something everyone becomes mindless & jumps on the bandwagon. Well anyone who knows me & knows me well knows that isn't how I work. I have a voice & no problem sharing my opinion.
So while I may have been made the black sheep of my in-laws I will wear that title with pride than be labeled a lemming. Here's to the lovely chapter in my life that includes in-laws.

Starbucks is the predictor of the unemployment

So I am on vacation this week well let me rephrase that a staycation. You need one of those every once in awhile & with the hot weather in Chicago how could I give up 7 days of tanning? Never! Haha. So my good friend Chris said I needed a project for my staycation which I came up with one: organize the guest bedroom. I need my mothers help with this especially with the closet portion & she's highly NOT motivated for this project. Ugh. I still have 7 days of vacation to get it done. So Chris & I had a lunch date planned and a pow wow at Starbucks to go over our blogs & just chit chat over coffee. We went to the Starbucks in Schaumburg located in the streets of Woodfield which is one of there higher traffic stores- they weren't kidding! Chris & I barely found a spot to sit ( mind you this @ 2:30 in the afternoon. Middle of the work day people!) and people everywhere. Now yes some had their laptops & Blackberry's and set up their "office" and others were just gathering. Chris & I both look at each other and are like um.. We are defiantly in the wrong field here. I mean who are these people?? I think ever since the recession hit that it actually has boosted Starbucks sales & significance in society. I have read several different articles also poking fun at the new 24/7 crowd at Starbucks because of the jobless market and I would have to tend to agree. I mean if I could have a gig where I could set up my "office" in my local Starbucks then SIGN ME UP!! however I'd like to think most patrons are unemployed and with that in mind I will stick with my job & just continue to get my daily coffee from Starbucks and that be it.

Are you Sponge Worthy??

All of my close friends know that there are two things that I'm really particular about... That is my coffee & my nails. Yes in the BIG picture they are the a little frivolous & materialistic. Yes I have bigger issues but I choose to focus on these two pet peeves- I am not naive or have a mixed up priority list. So anyways back to my story... So I do have a rather complicated coffee order but it's taken me years to perfect it & now that $5 cup of coffee has become vital to my day. You know how Paris Hilton always has her chihuahua? For me minus the chihuahua & replace it with my Starbucks coffee. Addict? Maybe. If my order is not done to a tee I have no problem going back & insisting on them remake my order. I really try and be nice about it but I have gotten a little rude in the past & I'm not proud of that. My poor husband hates ordering my drink because of it's complexity. I can remember one of my husband & mines biggest & only big fights right when we started dating. In the heat of the argument I stormed out of the apartment & went to the closest Starbucks to gather my thoughts & settle my emotions. I didn't even take a sip of my coffee before I left & drove back to the apartment. So as I entered back into war zone and we started to hash it out again I needed a sip of my coffee. Well to my utter disbelief my order was screwed up & this now took precedent over whatever we were fighting about. Again this was in the very early stages in our relationship so when my now husband offered to go back to Starbucks to have them fix my drink & probably thought this would score him some major brownie points in the fight we were having & maybe this was his way of putting up the white flag in our fight. So of course I took him up on this offer because I wasn't about to go back. Well I think as soon as I recited my correct drink order he looked at me like I was speaking a different language. He did pull through in the end and get me my correct drink but I was still mad at him & made him sleep on the couch. While that didn't break us it did break one thing- he won't ever order my drink for me again.
Now my nails is my second biggest pet peeve- I like them done a certain way: short & square. Not very difficult. I have no problem telling the nail girl what to fix or repaint to meet my standard. I had found a place very close to my house & formed a relationship with this one nail tech. I ended up patronizing this business for 7 years. I mean recession depression whatever was happening out there I always budgeted to get my nails done every 2 weeks & toes every month. I trusted my nail girl so much that when I went to the salon I felt like I could actually relax & not micro manage the process. When my nail girl told me she was pregnant my first thought was shit how long is she taking for maternity leave & who will do my nails in the interim?!?! Then I thought wait this isn't about me and told her congratulations. Don't worry when she finally had her adorable little girl I gave a beautiful baby gift & ensured I was her last appt before maternity leave & her first when she got back. Years passed with her doing my nails marking key events in my life: college graduation, first dates, girls nights, when I got in engaged, and I had no doubt she would do a fabulous job for my big wedding day. Well one day in the middle of winter we got hit with a BIG snow storm that was going to shut down the suburbs & city. I was off work the day before the storm so I thought heck if I'm going to be stuck inside for a whole 24 hours with no access to the outside world I needed to be prepared. This meant a quick trip to Whole Foods & getting my nails done...duh. So I had the nail salon on speed dial and thought it would be no problem for me to just slip in for a quick appt before the storm but little did I know that I was about to be hit with my own storm. The owner answered and I addressed her by name and asked her if my nail girl could slip me in for a quick fill. She instructed me my nail girl no longer worked there. Excuse me?!? I was just there 2 weeks ago and she NOTHING to me about her non-existent future at that salon. I was utterly speechless- I then asked if the owner could possibly slip me in I mean I am still a good customer, she denied me it wasn't that she was booked she just didn't want to take me. I ended up going to another salon in town but I was just bewildered at what just transpired. While I was stuck in my phone for 24 hours because the storm took out the city of Chicago I thought ah-ha I can simply call the nail salon and ask the woman who worked next to my ex-nail girl and see if she could do my nails. Genius!! This worked for a couple of weeks- she did my nails twice and I was sure to be extra nice and tip extra well because I had to almost court her in order to secure her as my new nail girl. Well I must not have been a good courter because she dumped me. How does a chop-shop dump a customer whose been going to them for 7 years?! I was beside myself. I felt like Elaine on Seinfeld when they were discontinuing her sponge brand and she was being very selective on the men she slept with if they were sponge worthy or not. Was I not sponge worthy??? Why not?? I now felt like I was that person that was trying to get on the list. I was asking everyone if they knew of a good nail salon and had someone they trusted. Finally after countless hours & days I finally got a tip from a good friend on a nail salon and she even got me in to get on the owners client list. After sweating it out and having my heart broken I have now upgraded to a great new nail salon and finally all is good. My nails are short & square just they way I like them. I guess I was sponge worthy for this salon :)