I could really use a lava flow right now...Maui here I come?

I dedicate this blog post to:

 

The Lava Flow

I am seriously contemplating driving to SFO and hopping on a plane to Maui right now. Yes, it's official, I've hit burn-out status at work. The fact it's over 70 degrees outside may be the driving factor in this burn-out.

While I'm not a fan of "girl-y drinks," the Lava Flow is definitely an exception. There is something about being in the hot Maui sun and cooling off with a frosty lava flow that's just been blended in a bar on the beach that says paradise.

Lava Flow Recipe:

*Courtesy of Emeril 

*

~ HAPPY BLENDING!! !~

Ingredients

• 1 ounces light rum
• 2 ounces pineapple juice
• 6 ounces pina colada mix (coconut cream and pineapple juice)
• 1 ounce strawberry puree
• 1 small chunk pineapple, for garnish

Directions

Blend rum, pineapple juice, and pina colada mix with 1 cup of ice. Next, take a glass and coat the inside with strawberry puree. Pour in colada blend. Finally, use a spoon to drag the strawberry puree up through the colada drink, creating a pink stripe. Garnish with a pineapple chunk, and serve.

*

I end this blog with a picture of my favorite place in Maui: The Grand Wailea Hotel. Here's hoping I'll be there again soon!!!

B-a-n-a-n-a?

After watching "Despicable Me" this past weekend, I fell in love with the "minions" depicted in the "Banana" short film below:



The minions are really cute and hilarious and got me thinking about what kind of minions I'd want in my perfect* world. So here goes...
 

1. Money-making Minions: as most of you know, my job is akin to being a call-center rep. I would have a minion do my current job while the other minion worked as a lawyer to bring home a more lucrative paycheck.

2. Personal Trainer Minion: In order to get in shape for bathing suit season, my personal trainer minion could provide daily workouts to ensure prime bathing suit body potential. In my perfect world, my personal trainer minion would look like R, my current boot camp instructor (aka J's personal trainer at Club One).

3. Personal Chef Minion: In order to not negate personal trainer minion's work, I would need a personal chef minion to make me healthy, portion-controlled meals. I imagine my personal chef minion to be a cross between Giada de Laurentiis, Tyler Florence and the Barefoot Contessa.  

4. Personal Shopper Minions: In order to be fashion-forward, I would need some personal shopper minions. One minion would be devoted strictly to "lululemon" (lululeminion?) wardrobe duty. The other personal shopper minion would be in charge of all other purchases. 

5. Chauffeur Minion: In order to relax during my ridiculously long commute, I would call on the services of Chauffeur minion. Of course, this would be during the times I relieve my money-maker minion of duty and choose to go to work. Otherwise, the Chauffeur Minion would be available for nights out and trips to SF or wine country.

*DISCLAIMER: I realize this blog is completely ridiculous and narcissistic. However, I assure all you readers that this is purely in fun and I'm not serious whatsoever. (Ok, but can I just have 1 money-maker minion? JK!)

It's Friday Night (almost) and the mood is right...going to have some fun, show you how it's done...TGIF!

In honor of today being...FRIDAY, I thought I'd write this blog about all things Friday.

As many of you know, I <heart> Happy Hour on Friday. In fact, I love it so much, I refer to it simply as "HH." I usually get off work early on Friday so I can enjoy HH at it's normal time, around 3-4pm.

However...before my love of HH on Fridays, there was TGIF programming on TV.

I remember many nights spent watching Family Matters, Boy Meets World, and....Step by Step. It's funny how growing up, Friday was about staying in. Now, as an adult, Friday night is all about going out and blowing off steam after a long work week.

In keeping with my favorite things theme, here are my Favorite Friday afternoon HH places. Enjoy and HAPPY FRIDAY!

1.  Enoteca Wine Bar in Los Gatos

I went to Enoteca last Friday for the first time and LOVED it. Not only do they have a great wine list, but yummy apps as well. When you're at Enoteca you feel like you're in Europe in a small, neighborhood wine bar. However, yummy food and great wine aside, the people watching is pretty amazing here. (Gotta love Saratoga/Los Gatos).

Favorite Drink: Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc

2. Sino in Santana Row

If I actually motivate and workout at Club One on Friday, my favorite HH spot is Sino. Sino has a great HH menu with appetizer and drink specials. I think the reason I like Sino for HH is that you can sit outside and people watch everyone that walks by you. (Notice...people watching is a common theme lol)

Favorite drink: Lychee Martini
Favorite Appetizer: Lobster Potstickers

3. Vintage Wine Bar in Santana Row

 
During spring/summer, Vintage Wine Bar is my HH destination of choice. It is the best outside HH spot in the Row and it's usually packed any time the weather is nice. While it is a little over-priced, the wine selection is great here and they are constantly changing the wine menu.

Favorite drink: The Champagne flight

I'll leave you with one of my favorite songs to start a weekend. These is something about this song that gives me energy and puts me in a good mood:

Favorite Things Meets Legally Blonde...

Today's blog is dedicated LWong for keeping the Favorite Things theme alive.

In her honor, Favorite Things goes Legally Blonde today

Here are my Favorite Things during my time as a law student:

1. Black's Law Dictionary

During law school, I felt like I was learning a foreign language almost every day. Black's law dictionary became my best friend as I had no idea what words like "res ipsa loquitor," "codicil," and "appurtenant" meant.While I have gotten rid of or passed down most of my law school study aides, I still have my Black's Law Dictionary in my bookcase.

2.  Iced Triple Latte from Starbucks, Sugar-Free Red Bull, and Diet Mountain Dew  

*NOTE: Yes, I realize these are 3 things, but as they are all in the caffeinated drink family, I figured as a lawyer, I could create an exception = )

 In law school, my caffeine intake reached a scary level. Before the bar exam, I could survive on iced, triple, non-fat lattes from Starbucks (which was a short stroll across the street from school).

When I started studying for the Bar Exam, in order to survive, I had to increase my daily caffeine intake level substantially. During those two months, I could not survive without Sugar-Free Red Bull and Diet Mountain Dew.

Luckily for me, kicking the Sugar-Free Red Bull and Diet Mountain Dew habit was quite easy after the Bar Exam was over. I still haven't been able to kick my triple, iced non-fat latte addiction yet....... I guess only time will tell........

3.  AIM and GTalk

Before GTalk came out my 3L year in law school, AIM was one of the only ways to make it through law school classes without going crazy due to boredom. AIM served two purposes during law school: (1) you could IM your friends in class if you were called on and didn't know the answer; (2) unfortunately, AIM was mostly used for gossiping about the ridiculous things other people said in class.

Luckily, Gtalk came out 3rd year and my AIM usage has completely ceased since then.

4. The Hut

For all of you who went to undergrad or law school at SCU, you have been to the Hut. B/t the dollar bills tacked to business cards on the ceiling or the always non-functioning girl's bathroom, the Hut was my dive bar of choice during law school as it was walking distance from the law library and from my classes.

My 1L year, we used to have an un-official "bar review" at the Hut every other Thursday. After our VP of the Student Bar Association fell off the stage during a speech at our Benefit for Justice semi-formal, dinner event, these "bar reviews" started happening less and less. Hmmmm.....wonder why?

5.  The Killers "Hot Fuss" CD

 I am one of those people that HAS to study with music on. If I'm studying, I am very particular about what music I listen to. The music cannot have too quick a beat, but it also cannot make me want to take a nap either. The Killers "Hot Fuss" CD came out my 1L year of law school and I fell in love with it. Not only was it the perfect CD to read case law and briefs too, but EVERY song on the CD is amazing.

In honor of the Killers getting me through long nights/days in the law library, here is my favorite Killers song from that album "All These Things I've Done." Enjoy!

Just Call me Loprah

Even though it's not Christmas and I'm not Oprah, I'm blogging today about my favorite things!

I dedicate this blog post to Linds. She gave me the idea!

Here goes:

1. Lululemon

Thanks to my friend J, I have fallen in love with lululemon. Who says you can't look cute when you work out?

There's something about wearing yoga pants that makes you feel sexier than wearing a cocktail dress. Personally, I think lululemon should patent their design because their pants make everyone have a great-looking butt.

This purple workout bag is pretty much amazing. There are pockets labeled: "tunes," "phone," and even "chocolate." I use this bag every day and don't know what I'd do without it!

 2. Winsor Pilates DVDs

In honor of the fact I did the abs pilates DVD for first time in 6 months last night, I figured I should put these on the list as motivation. These DVDs make you ridiculously toned. Of course, they are all ridiculously hard, but hey...no pain no gain, right? I recommend: (1) Ab sculpting; (2) Upper Body Sculpting; (3) Max Burn Advanced Sculpting.

3. Tory Burch Wedges

This year, I finally bit the bullet and bought my first pair of Tory Burch wedges. I thought I was being a rebel by buying the wedge instead of the flat. However, I actually like wearing heels more than flats. What I love about Tory Burch wedges is that they are classic and they dress-up any outfit you are wearing.

4. Lacoste T-Shirts

As anyone who works with me knows, I wear Lacoste tees on a weekly basis. There is something classic and preppy about Lacoste that I love. Plus, their Ts fit amazing and are always flattering. I guess after going to private school for 7 years, my inner prepster is coming out.

5. Louis Vuitton Bags

As most of you know, I carry my "Speedy" bag around with me everywhere.

LV is timeless and classic to me. My mom had LV when I was young. Not to mention, I feel ready for any possible scenario when I have my Speedy bag. I have everything from blister block, suntan lotion, bandaids, perfume and a hair brush with me at all times. 

While I do have other LV bags, Speedy will always be my favorite!

6. Cole Haan Heels

Again, I have J to thank for introducing me to Cole Haan shoes, which I also refer to as "pillow shoes." The above shoes are the first pair I bought. I never knew heels could be comfortable until I purchased my first, second, and oops 3rd pair of Cole Haan shoes. I can make it through an entire work day in heels and my feet don't hurt! Thank you Nike Air technology.

7. Neuro Drinks

 

I can thank LT for this favorite thing. I am in love with these drinks and tell everyone about them. My 3 faves are:

Neuro Sonic: Best substitute for coffee ever. My mornings always seem more productive when I have a Sonic on the way to work.

Neuro Trim: Apparently this is the drink Kelly Osbourne used to lose all her weight. For me, I drink these after a long weekend of eating and drinking. 

Neuro Bliss: After a long day at work and workout, sometimes I'll grab one of these. Definitely the tastiest of the 3.

8. Firefly Ridge wine from Safeway

Firefly Ridge is a $17/bottle wine at Safeway that is always Club Card priced at under $6/bottle. It's my favorite bargain wine.

9. Ralph Lauren Romance perfume

Romance is the one perfume I have bought over and over again. It's also the one perfume I get the most compliments on. Not sure I'm a total romantic, but I like that Romance is a clean, classic scent.

10.  Benefit Make-up: Boing 02 and BadGal mascara in plum

My two beauty must-haves are made by Benefit.

BadGal Mascara in Plum: My new fave Benefit product this year. My eyes always look really green when I wear this.

Boing-02 Concealer: the one concealer I've bought over and over again since college and never leave home without

Hello 1999..Did you miss me?

I went to Napa this past weekend to celebrate my friend J's 30th birthday. The best part of the whole trip is that J's boyfriend drove us in his parent's early  90's Chevy suburban that used to have the license plate: "90TSDAD." Since the first car I drove in high school was also a 90s suburban, it brought back memories of high school and being able to control the radio/CD player for the first time.

Bringing it back to 1999-2000 for songs 6-10. Here we go:


6.  "I Want it That Way" -Backstreet Boys (unfortunately, I did not escape the boy band craze and BSB were my favorite.) I even saw them in concert once! (yikes, it's taken me until now to admit that). This song reminds me of late nights with friends in my suburban blasting this song and singing as loud as we could.


7. "Save Tonight" - Eagle Eye Cherry (The first time I heard this song, I was in Rome, Italy. Funny how good songs catch on in Europe first and then make it to the US.)

"Save tonight 
and fight the break of dawn
Come tomorrow
Tomorrow I'll be gone"

This song reminds me of the summer before I went away to college. Every night was spent talking with friends and staying up late, trying to make the most of every day we had until we left home.

8. "Say My Name" - Destiny's Child (this is the first song I recorded as my pager voicemail greeting. Yes, you read that correctly, pager.)
This song reminds me of senior year of high school when we used to page each other before cell phones and text messaging became popular. I also used this song as the voicemail on my very own phone line. Funny how the land line is basically extinct these days.

9. "Ride with Me" - Nelly 

This song reminds me of freshman year of college in the dorms getting ready to go out to a house party or even, gasp, a fraternity party.

Last, but of course not least:

10. "Something like that" - Tim McGraw

This song got me hooked on country music. I loved every song on "A Place in the Sun."  I can thank Cal Poly and my neighbors who roped plastic cattle in their front yard (yes, they were from Oakdale), for introducing me to country music. To this day, I am still a big fan.
 

Goodbye iPod nano... Thank you for the Memories

This post is dedicated to my ipod nano. RIP.

After 5 years, my ipod nano is now permanently in lock mode and un-usable. My nano got me through law school, studying for the bar exam, and more recently, my horrendous commute to work.

With the loss of my nano, I started thinking about what songs I'd immediately add to my new ipod. Initially, I thought there would be one song that I'd need right away. What I found is I couldn't think of just one song, I could only think of a variety of songs.

Maybe the purchase of a new ipod represents a new start to the new year. I guess you could say the playlist I've compiled  is the soundtrack to my life right now:

(in no particular order)


1. "In My Life" - The Beatles (this is my favorite Beatles song and thankfully, due to good lawyering, I can now dl it from iTunes.) My favorite lyrics in the song are:

"There are places I remember
All my life though some have changed
Some forever not for better
Some have gone and some remain
All these places had their moments
With lovers and friends I still can recall
Some are dead and some are living
In my life I've loved them all"

To me, this song represents looking back on the past with fondness and remembers the love and not the loss.

2. "Human Nature" - Michael Jackson

This is my favorite Michael Jackson song hands-down. Any time it comes on during my commute, I relax.

"If They Say - Why, Why, Tell ‘Em That Is Human Nature" 

Sometimes in life you wonder why did he/she do that? What were they thinking? I think MJ is saying, sometimes things are just human nature and there is no explanation.

3. "Always be my Baby" - Mariah Carey (not sure what it is about this song, but every time it comes on the radio or plays on my iPod, I always turn the volume up and want to sing).

4. "Changes" - 2Pac (This song is the 1st 2Pac song I ever liked and definitely not the last.)

"That's just the way it is. 
Things will never be the same.
That's just the way it is
Some things will never change"

MP, I dedicate this song to you. What this past year has taught me is to be realistic and accept people for who they are and not expect more or try and change them.

5. "How do I get there from here" - Deana Carter (heart DC because "Strawberry Wine" got me into country music.)

"How do I get there from here
How do I make you see
How do I tell you what my heart's been tellin' me"

Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus, Love languages, Steve Harvey's "Act like a Lady, Think like a man," etc., etc. Self-help/dating books aside, I do think the way men and women communicate is very different. I made a vow in 2011, New Year's Resolution maybe, (shout-out  LMoore), to say how I feel when I felt it. It's been a scary road so far, but so far so good = )


Songs 5-10 are to be continued................




I end with the clip of Michael Jackson's first moonwalk. Such a genius.

One More Night.... cause I can't wait forever?

Two Words: Phil Collins

Not only is PC a timeless artist, but he also sings the first "grown-up" song I ever re-wound and re-played on my Walkman.

I recently looked up the lyrics to "One More Night" and wondered why I had loved the song as a child and if the lyrics meant something different to me now. What I realized is that there are many different ways the song lyrics can be interpreted. Here, is my interpretation:

"Please give me one more night, give me just one more night."

 As a child, my Dad traveled at 3 weeks out of the month. In addition, when he was home, he often worked late hours and came home when I was asleep. I think the reason I loved this song so much is because of my constant yearning for my Dad to come home. 

"I know there'll never be a time you'll ever feel the same
And I know it's only words
But if you change your mind you know that I'll be here
And maybe we both can learn."

2010 was the hardest year of my life. I experienced the death of a very dear family friend, learned of my father's numerous marital infidelities, and went to therapy for the first time.

As 2011 begins, I feel strangely happier than I've ever been. I'm not sure what the cause of my newfound happiness is, but I'm pretty sure it has to do with forgiveness of my father and myself. I have forgiven my father for what he has done not only to my mother, but to our family. It's like my father is singing this song to me, asking me for forgiveness, but acknowledging things will never be the same.

In terms of forgiving myself, I have learned to not be so self-deprecating. I have used humor my whole life to make a painful situation seem funny or even make fun of myself. The most important thing I learned when I forgave myself is not to take things personally. Whether it was a bad date, a snarky comment by a friend, or a mean look from my manager, I have finally accepted the fact that most things I used to take personally are in fact, not personal at all. Accepting this was difficult at first, but now it's like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders. I feel freer and more open to life and love than I've ever been.

I think Phil hit the nail on the head with this song. Thank you Phil for getting rid of my blogger's block.

The Island of Lost Men

A friend told me to post about the "the island." This is for you SL.

Have you ever had a bad date? Dated someone and it ended badly? Been cheated on? Most of us have had bad dating/marital/other experiences involving the opposite sex. While these experiences can be painful and harmful to one's self confidence, I have found a way to bring a little humor into these types of situations.

When a friend of mine calls me and says he or she had a bad date, is going through a break up, etc., I tell him/her to send the "offending party" to " the island."

Now, depending on the severity of the dating infraction, the person being sent to the island could live happily there for many years or die a most certain death. For those minor dating infractions, simply send the person to the island with a raft or maybe a paddle. For medium/major infractions, maybe only allow the individual to a boat with a small hole in it, possibly a broken paddle or oar. For extreme infractions, these individuals may be required to be placed on an island within the island, up the creek, with no boat, no paddle, and merely a bucket with a hole in it. The terms of the island sentencing are up to you.

Where is your last bad date on the island???

Mine is on the island with no boat and a broken oar = )

Spidey Sense...thank you Spiderman?

Do you ever get the sense someone is thinking about you and then wonder if that person is really thinking of you at that very moment?

I  have termed this feeling, spidey sense. A personal example follows below:

This morning while I was driving to work, I was thinking about Napa, what I wanted to make for dinner Thurs, etc. when all of a sudden, my mind wandered and I could not stop thinking about S. S is an ex who I was very happy with last year. Life and work drove us apart, but we still keep in touch occasionally via text. Fast Forward to this afternoon. My phone lights up and it's a text from S.

Spidey sense or just coincidence? The jury is still out on this one...