On Saturday, eight of us had dinner at Citizen Smith, lounged around and drank a bit, and then hit The Garden of Eden for some dancing. This old hag tried her best to keep up with the young'uns. Sadly, there really is a difference between being 30 and being 25. Best wishes, Kenna and Winnie!
Oh, and those Bud Lights were free. We have better taste than to chug that swill all night!
The end has finally come! Sanjaya is no more! I am sad. Why? Sanjaya was the show this season. I may stop watching Idol now that the talentless teen is through. It just won't be as amusing without him. I enjoyed the suspense every episode, wondering whether he'd get the boot. His last song was so fitting -- Bonnie Raitt's "Something to Talk About." That's what Sanjaya did for America every week. He gave us all something to talk about.
Take me out to the ball game.
Take me out with the crowd.
Buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jack,
And a Louisiana Red Hot,
And a Sweet Italian Sausage,
And garlic fries,
And lemonade,
And soft-serve ice cream in a waffle cone.
Apparently, I don't care if I ever get back...to my old weight.
Yes, Brandon Flowers. Yes, I do.
Two very different concerts. Two very enjoyable nights.
This was the fifth or sixth time I saw The Killers and the third time I saw them headlining. All other times, yummy Brandon was seriously off-key. No matter, though. The shows were still, dare I say, killer. Flowers is a good showman, prancing about in his snug little vest and gesticulating like a conductor. It wouldn't matter if he were singing commercial jingles; it'd still be a sweet show. Damn, he's cute.
But Monday was really great. For once, my dear Brandon Flowers had decent pitch! Maybe he got some singing lessons, or he'd had enough practice from the first leg of the tour. Whatever it was, the better singing made the night all the more enjoyable. Mix a passable voice with lights, machine-powered confetti, and some tight pants, and you've got a recipe for good times.
The Killers did songs from both Sam's Town and Hot Fuss nearly perfectly, which was a far cry from the other times I saw them. And there were two encores! Woot woot! What made Monday super fun for us, however, was not even the band's performance....
We got our tickets from a friend who has ties with the Staples Center. They were really good seats -- quite possible the best seats I'd ever had at a Staples Center concert. When we sat down, we noticed we were surrounded by old people and kids. Strange. What the hell were these straightlaced extended families doing here? Then we saw all these peeps had backstage access tags.
We were sitting with the band's family.
Thus, while my boyfriend Brandon Flowers was excellent onstage, my favorite part of Monday night was actually watching Grandma sing along to every song. And...she clearly had the same fave songs as I do. ("Read My Mind" and "All These Things That I've Done," if you're curious.) Classic!
Fast forward to Tuesday night. No Grandma at The Forum, but we had great seats again -- front row, in fact. As a lazy old bum, I love it when I can sit and still see the show without people in front of me standing up. The only peeps "in front" of us were the general admission kids in the pit. Ah, the pit. I can't believe I used to do that. Nuts.
The thing I love most about Muse is that they're phenomenal musicians. Last night didn't disappoint. I'm not sure if non-musicians really appreciate how talented these guys are. Muse makes me thump inside. The music moves me. Wow. That was hokey. I take that back. It was...um...really loud bass. Yeah.
My faves are the songs with elaborate piano and guitar solos. This is the third time I've seen Muse, and I still marvel at Matthew Bellamy's prowess on both the piano and the guitar. He's so amazing, and, like Brandon Flowers, he is quite the charismatic performer. Bellamy is not nearly as flamboyant and over-the-top as Flowers, but he does exude a certain bravado and has this awe-inspiring swagger when he's playing. Mind you, this is especially impressive, as Bellamy is, in the words of the hubs, a "tiny guy." I'm talking 5'6" or 5'7" at best.
I love love loved "Butterflies & Hurricanes" (my fave Muse song), mainly because I love watching Bellamy's fingers fly on the keys. Of course, "Starlight" was a crowd-pleaser during the second encore, as was the sing-a-long to "Time Is Running Out" during the first encore. (What's up with two encores these days? Maybe it's the norm now.) I must say that the Muse audience was far better than The Killers audience, insofar as appreciation of the music (well, except for Grandma -- she appreciated the music more than anyone else in all of Staples Center). You could tell everybody there really really liked Muse. A lot.
You'd think, with two concerts, I would've been smart and worn earplugs. I can't hear a thing today. Whoops.
Yes, I have a one-track mind. And...damn. Look at the size of that rock!
Friday, April 6
Dinner with the hubs' family at Traxx. Delicious Waldorf salad. Delightful snapper. Delectable beef medallions. Dynamite pork belly. Dreamy bread pudding.
Saturday, April 7
Arrive in Monterey. Get red convertible Mustang. Put top down. Let hair blow on 17 Mile Drive. Check out Pebble Beach. Play par three course across the street and pretend it's Pebble Beach. Let hair blow some more on the way to Carmel. And to Big Sur. Eat yummy seafood. All day. Get slightly sunburned.
Sunday, April 8
Go to aquarium. Watch all feedings. Gawk at otters. Gawk at otters some more. Fall in love with otters. Otters rule. Go to spa. Get scrubbed. Get smooth. Get wrapped in hot cocoon. Detoxify. Relax. Fall asleep. Meet the hubs after golf. Stroll about. Eat yummy food. All day. Used sunscreen today. Yay.
Monday, April 9
Skip work! Bwahahahaha! It's my 30th birthday, damn it! More spa. Get facial. Get massage. Go to aquarium again. Two-day pass, yo...and no crowds on a Monday. Chill. Walk. Snack. Walk. Chill. Fly home. Meet friend for dinner, and go see The Killers at Staples Center.
Tuesday, April 10
Muse at The Forum.
Wednesday, April 11
Dodger game.
Friday, April 13
Secret good thing happening.
Saturday, April 14
Big birthday bash with 40+ friends. Woot woot.
Life is good.
If you have no idea who Sanjaya is, you must be living under a rock. Sanjaya Malakar is the 17-year-old talentless sensation who keeps going strong this season of American Idol. His hair is full of body and volume. His voice is anything but.
Sanjaya is the funniest thing to hit TV since The Office. Seriously.
I haven't watched American Idol since the days of William Hung. [She bangs! She bangs!]
Well, that's not entirely true. I usually tune in at the beginning. I like the first few weeks when everybody sucks. It's pretty much the same reason I watch figure skating -- to see people fall on their asses. Sadistic, I know.
But I kept watching this season for Sanjaya, Sanjaya, Sanjaya. I can't stop watching. Every week I turn on Fox to watch the trainwreck and to see him survive again and again, while better singers get the boot. He's like the American Idol cockroach.
And, of course, there's the hair. Oh, the hair! Homeboy's got more luscious locks than I could ever dream of! Sleek, teased, or in a ponyhawk (that's seven ponytails up the middle of the head in quasi-mohawk fashion), Sanjaya's hair never fails to please. And by "please," I mean "make me snort with delight."
Sanjaya has singlehandedly revived my interest in American dol. Howard Stern has encouraged his listeners to vote for Sanjaya, as has Vote for the Worst, a website that states, "We agree that a fish out of water is entertaining, and we want to acknowledge this fact by encouraging people help the amusing
antagonists stick around." Love it.
The best part of the Saga of Sanjaya, though, has to be the freaky MySpace peeps. This wacko and others went on a hunger strike until Sanjaya got canned. A hunger strike! For American Idol! Unreal.
The girl I linked above recently ended her 16-day hunger strike, citing "medical reasons." Uh huh. Sure. Heffa just got hungry. Admit it.
Can't wait until next week. How much longer can he go?
When I was little, I thought 30 was totally old. I pictured myself at age 30, living in a house, married, and making lots of money doing something I love.
I guess one out of three ain't bad.
At least I'm having a party. I've only had two other birthday parties in my life. Like real parties. That are organized. And have invitations. And a cake. Friends took me out drinking for 21. But that wasn't a party. That was par-TAY-ing.
For my seventh birthday, I had a sleepover. All I remember is everybody rode their sleeping bags down our staircase, toboggan-style. My parents didn't like that very much. Maybe that's why I didn't have a party the next year. Or the next year.
When I turned 10, I had a party at the local skating rink. With boys. It was rather progressive. I remember skating 'round and 'round to Falco's "Rock Me Amadeus." And somebody gave me a Pound Puppy.
Boy, I am totally old.
The non-fat tastes like pinkberry's "plain," while the sugar-free tastes like cé fiore's "plain" (as opposed to cé fiore's "sour"). The sugar-free is creamier and has a smoother mouth feel, most likely because of the fat in it, but it has the typical aftertaste associated with all things sugar-free. I liked the non-fat better because it didn't have that aftertaste, and it was more tart. I'm all about the tart.
The Red Mango we tried was part of a California Roll and Sushi Fish located in Los Feliz. It was self-serve, so you can pile as much yogurt and as many toppings as you like, and you can avoid the infamous and disappointing hole-in-the-middle phenomenon that often occurs at the other yogurt places.
Also, unlike the other yogurt places, price is based on weight -- $0.40 per ounce. Thus, if you are a fan of very lightweight toppings (like Fruity Pebbles), you come out a big winner. Fruit? Granola? Not so much. Boo to heavy toppings being more expensive! And boo to no dduk at Red Mango! I want my mochi, damn it!
The price of toppings doesn't really matter much to me anyway. I keep a box of Fruity Pebbles in my car for the sole purpose of pouring it onto Korean frozen yogurt. Ha!
On a somewhat related note, if you visit pinkberry's website, you will now be serenaded by a crazy Asian-pop ditty. I challenge you to listen without singing the insipid lyrics all day long. It really must be heard to be appreciated. I use "appreciated" loosely. It goes something like this:
pinkberry and me, pinkberry....
Sorry, ice cream, I'm dreaming of a different dessert --
pinkberry shaved ice and frozen yogurt! [mmm]
It doesn't feel like I'm cheatin' when I'm eatin' it
'Cause it's healthy. I feel better already.
Tart and sweet, fresh and airy,
Blue- and black-, straw- and raspberry!
Succulent mango, tangy kiwi, or pineapple...top it off!
Swirly and fluffy, exquisite dream!
Sorry, ice cream,
I'm on my way to pinkberry.
pinkberry. [yum]Sorry, ice cream,
I wonder, "Should I get it plain? Or green tea?"
I'm on my way to...
p-i-n...k-b-e...r-r-y...pinkberry!
p-i-n...k-b-e...r-r-y...pinkberry!
p-i-n...k-b-e...r-r-y...pinkberry!
p-i-n...k-b-e...r-r-y...pinkberry!
Doesn't matter to me.
Don't care how long I have to wait.
I like it in the rain. [I like it in the rain]
Or in the wintertime,
Like a burst of sunshine!
Good for my body, good for my mouth,
Good for my mind, good with the family,
Good with a friend, with a lover, or alone.
It's an obsession, pure and delightful,
Simple and heavenly [mmm]
And guilt-free....
Yummy. [yummy]
pinkberry.
pinkberry and me, pinkberry
pinkberry and me, pinkberry
pinkberry and me, pinkberry
pinkberry and me, pinkberry
p-i-n...k-b-e...r-r-y...pinkberry!
p-i-n...k-b-e...r-r-y...pinkberry!
p-i-n...k-b-e...r-r-y...pinkberry!
p-i-n...k-b-e...r-r-y...pinkberry!
Repeat last two stanzas until fade...
And, yes, I'm lametarded and re-played the jingle to type these lyrics.
[aside]
To tell you the truth, even if we hadn't lived together for so long, we wouldn't really need these things either, as neither of us gets home early enough to cook. We should just convert our kitchen to something more useful. Like a closet for all my shoes and the hubs' golf clubs and accessories.
[/aside]
Lucky for us, Taiwanese peeps give money stuffed in red envelopes to newlyweds. Cash money, yo! Woot woot! Major props to our non-Asian friends who embraced the Taiwanese tradition!
Of course, we needed to register for *something* for our other non-Asian friends who may not have felt comfortable giving cash. We ended up registering for luggage and a few appliances at Macy's, appliances and random things at Bed Bath & Beyond (best return policy!), and electronics and makeup (yes, makeup!) at Amazon.com. Everybody knows about Macy's and BB&B, so I won't use this blog to address them or the other usual suspects like Bloomingdale's, Crate & Barrel, Williams-Sonoma, and Pottery Barn.
Now for a little explanation regarding my makeup registry and other places you can register if a new tea kettle is, well, not your cup of tea....
Registering at Amazon.com rocks! Two of our favorite wedding gifts -- a digital camera and an underwater cover for that camera -- were from Amazon. They came in very handy during our honeymoon! We also got great iPod speakers. In my book (and probably in most grooms' books), electronics beat housewares any day.
Amazon is not only excellent for its non-traditional offerings, spanning from electronics to apparel, it is extremely user-friendly. You can tag each of your registry items with levels of desiredness ("nice to have," "like to have," "love to have") and further personalize each requested item with any other notes.
Oh, and about the makeup....Since I didn't want to receive skanky lingerie or kitchen trinkets at my shower, my wonderful bridal party and friends encouraged me to put stuff I liked on our Amazon registry. I added some Nars, Philosophy, Chanel, and Shiseido products, as well as some books, and I tagged them "for bridal shower." Pretty freakin' awesome.
Finally, Amazon is great at keeping track who bought what. The list includes each gift-giver's address, which makes writing thank-you cards a breeze. Be kind to your hubby (or your own geeky self), and register for cool gadgets (and makeup!) on Amazon.
Flooring and faucets and fixtures, oh my! If you and your hubby have a hankering for home improvement, these are the registries for you. Lowe's and The Home Depot have policies that allow you to return things to any store, accompanied by a receipt or invoice, and provided that the items are in new condition.
Are you marrying a mountain man? Or are you a camping chick? Then look no further! Your dream registry is here! The hubby really wanted to register at REI, but I talked him out of it because I hate dirt and sweating, and we would never actually use any of the equipment bought for us. (Don't feel too bad for the hubby, though. He already has a room full of top-of-the-line camping and hiking gear...which gathers more dust every day.) An REI registry would be great for the active couple who camps, hikes, climbs, bikes, skis, snowboards, kayaks....
A friend of mine who got married in 2005 registered at Morrell Wine, which was particularly fitting, as her nuptials took place at a vineyard! You just pick all the wines you like, and people buy them for you! Neato! Morrell is based in New York City, but it ships nationwide (and even internationally -- for a hefty fee), except for the sad states of Florida, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, Tennessee, and Utah, which have laws restricting or prohibiting the shipment of wine. Poo on them!
Lastly, many couples are doing honeymoon registries now. Since my pal Nannersp has blogged on the topic, I'll just link you to her thoughts.
Happy registering!
