Weekend Bliss

I just got back from another weekend in Vegas. For anyone following my tweets you'll see that it wasn't a drinking palooza like the last time was. But that was A-ok with me. It was pretty much a weekend with friends that just happened to be in Vegas.

My friend Meagan is doing Teach for America in Vegas. I was in her wedding after college and then her and her husband Dan moved out there. Now they are going to have a baby girl, possibly named Winter Grace, and we threw her an extravagant baby shower at the Bellagio Buffet. I pulled a Mother Abba and delivered my presents in a classay plastic grocery bag. But it was full of baby joy and Seattle propaganda. I will brainwash that baby into knowing what flannel and turtlenecks are if it kills me. It was also my friend Liz Steele's birthday so we went to Rok in NYNY. Tip: don't go here. It sucks. But you know what never sucks? Yard long margs. Gotta get 'em. Everytime I wanted a sip I had to say "abbacadabra." And that was often.

The rest of the weekend was spent catching up. Laying around and laughing. Eating good food and watching The Hangover. Planning future reunions and joking about how we should all be pregnant at the same time. Singing Gaga's Bad Romance and asking ourselves what the hell we want to do with our lives. John Hughes (RIP) couldn't write a movie this good. It was relaxing and fun and made me want to work harder to keep in touch with people. Hence this blog entry. So enjoy readers--I'm going to try to hop back on the wagon.

Elizabeth Medina, Me, Meagan Walsh and Brigid Marshall

PS try staying at the Palazzo next time you're in the Veg. It was a swank hotel room. I felt like a member of the rat pack.

Twit This

Have I mentioned that I have a Twitter account? I know. Kiki, you are so high tech. You deserve an iPad.

But that is what I use basically as a journal. The highs. The lows. The drink tabs. It all ends up there. And for some reason I think it's a good idea to keep it public so feel free to peruse that if you're ever wondering what I'm having for breakfast or reading or up to for the weekend.

Welcome to my stream of conscious. My genius is scary, but you'll get used to it.

And yes, that picture is of a little bear. Awwwww.

Traveling

I really should be asleep because I have to wake up at 5:30 am to leave for Vancouver for the 2010 Olympic closing ceremony (!!!) but I can't help but lay awake and think about how wonderful it is to travel.

2008-

Memphis for UPTAs

DC trip with Jackie and Nikki

Vacation--Belize, Mexico, Venezuela

Seattle for the first time ever

Portland-Apple festival with Jess and Drew

2009-

Las Vegas-spur of the moment weekend trip

Vancouver-with Jackie and Kyle

Chicago-Harry Potter Exhibition

Minneapolis-Tony Kushner play

Los Angeles-visit Lou Daddy and Sweet Baby Angel

Las Vegas-family vacation

2010-

Hawaii-week vacay with Jess

Vancouver-OLYMPICS

Indianapolis-Kyle's Wedding

Las Vegas-Visit Meagan, Liz, Brigid and Elizabeth (geez, do i live here?)

I can't wait to see where I'll end up next. Please God, let it be Europe. And soon.

Dolla Billz

Things that you need to know about my life when people stop you on the street and ask you:

1. I've recently been hired on as an ANNUAL employee at the Rep! Which means I'll be working there all summer and not on some weird hiatus. They're doing this because I'm going to start work as a Group Sales Agent. Like Father like Daughter? Always be closing. Mo' money, mo' problems. I hope there won't be more problems but there will most definitely be more traveling! Holler.

2. So that means that I can't work at the Children's Theatre over the summer. But they're being cool about it. Hopefully I can teach a class or two in the fall and keep my Sesame Street cred.

3. I'm going with a car packed full of girls to the OLYMPICS this weekend! It is going to be awesome. Like legit awesome. I'm gonna be hanging out with people from all over the world and wearing a stupid hat. Don't worry--I'll post photos. But seriously, like why not go? It's only 2 hours away. And it's probably warmer there than it is here. Decision made.

4. I'm going home to Indiana in March and I'm SO EXCITED! Kyle's wedding and Caitlin's Bridal Shower. It's going to be a rock 'em sock 'em weekend and I can't wait.

That's it for now. But here, enjoy this picture of my co-workers and I staging a photo in my boss's office while she was out sick:

5. Also, go see Shutter Island. It's so freakin good.

Hawaii

I was a hula baby for 6 days and 5 nights. Here's what I did on my vacay of AWESOME.

Sat--Leave for the airport at 5:30am and eat at chili's too while we wait for our 8am flight. Land in Honolulu at noon. Robert's Hawaii shuttle to Aqua Continental Surf Hotel of DOOM. Hotel room is sketchy to the max--twin beds, smoke smelling bathroom, I was allergic to something, but at least the view was awesome. case in point:

So then we headed straight to food at the Red Lion where they had fish bowl happy hour drinks and fish sandwiches. Done. Then we headed to the beach and watched a glorious sunset. Shopped for a bit, bought an obligatory kukui necklace and generally took in the atmosphere. Someone gave us a coupon for a $11.95 surf and turf dinner so we hit that up. The place was wonderfully tacky and had good Blue Hawaiis. We were zonked so we went home and slept.

Sun-woke up early to take a bus to Diamond Head to watch the sunrise. Bus driver convinced us we were on the wrong bus. Got off, called dad to discuss the science of where the sun will be rising this close to the equator, gave up and watched the sunrise at the canal. Went straight to Waikiki Beach. Only people for miles. Ate fruit bars and laid around for 7 hours. Pure heaven. Ate at Dukes in the Outrigger Waikiki and had Hula Pie. I fed my 13 year old self's craving and it was just as good as I remembered. Then we took a bus (correctly!!!) to downtown Honolulu to see the Shanghai Circus at the Hawaiian Theatre. Little did we remember that Monday was MLK Jr day so everything was closed and basically deserted so there was very little to see. But we ate at the most amazing French restaurant. I mean, I've never eaten food like this. I went all the way to Hawaii to eat good French food. Go figure. And yes, feel free to put brie on everything you ever cook me. Then we went to the theatre and laughed at how terribly...well...asian the show was. Horrible chinese restaurant music and oohs and ahhs from a blue haired crowd. But some of the acrobatics were impressive and the tickets were cheap--so A plus. Back to the hotel to pass out.

Mon--Picked up at 7:45 am to go to Kualoa Ranch. A day set up of tours of the ranch. Stupid holiday meant we couldn't go on a boat and that we were one of like 5 people to opt for the full day package. They also kept splitting us up into english and japanese speaking people. Go figure. First up was the jungle expedition. Barry led us on a rough and tumble ride through the jungle in a big jeep type van. Kind of like the Jungle Cruise with bad jokes but actually a bit terrifying. At a weird berry. Climbed part of a mountain in a denim skirt and flippy floppies. Then we took Hula lessons. These hips were made for it. Next up was a buffet lunch. Since it was included with the price we both ate two plates. Steve Abba's daughter right here. Then we were the only people to go on the gardens and fruit tour (or it was called something like that). So we got to see the dock from Lost and asked lots of questions. Our tour guide was this little awkward girl but she loved us. Then we finally (!!!) got to go on the movie set tour. Did I mention that it was AMAZING! LOST! JURASSIC PARK! So good. We went to the valley where they pretty much tape everything that is show in Hawaii while we asked the tour guide how we can get jobs at the ranch. I'd do it. It's beautiful there and I could get my big break. And until then I'd be in HAWAII so it'd be awesome.

Napped on the bus ride back. Then we ran into Chez, who was the equivalent of Tony Vegas, trying to get us to pay him to go on this bar crawl. Lesson learned we turned him down. Good for us. We ate some Mexican food--but it was way to expensive so we left about 15 mins after we got there. Then we headed to the Shore Bird where they have nightly karaoke. We sang Fergalicious and were told to keep it clean because we said the "s" word. Sir, it's in the song. Not my fault. Then I explained the song Don't Take the Girl to Jessica and started balling in the bar while I drank another mai tai. It's just such a sad song. Then we sand Huey Lewis' Heart of Rock and Roll and totally killed it. After that we decided to leave because this 50 something guy named Kevin was dancing with 3 generations of lady relatives and it was getting gross. Grandma hit the floor and it was hilarious. Norah Jones swept us into slumber and so ended another wonderful day.

More in the next post...