Waitress

I'm just now getting around to blogging about this movie but I didn't want to forget to do so. I saw Waitress over the weekend and it was such a delight - go see it! First of all, I love Keri Russell. (I've loved her since Felicity and tuned in every week to see whether she'd end up with Ben or Noel. I was heartbroken when the show ended.) I have read so much about this movie (which has been getting perfect reviews) so I had to see it for myself. Keri Russell's character, Jenna is an unhappily married, preganant waitress who has a knack for making pies. It may sound depressing from afar but the story warmed my heart.

Oh no he didn't...

I gathered with a group of friends last night on Memorial Day for dinner and good company and was honored with the following story. A friend of mine (who will go nameless) had a third date last week which went terribly wrong. The first two dates were great. She said she thought they were really connecting and then the third date came. He did all of the following things:
- Made a remark that sounded to be racist
- Parked in a handicapped spot
-Went to the bathroom at her house with the door open
-And told her that he wanted to “take her to bed”

This left my friends and I wondering, what is wrong with men? We all rehashed what the next date could be like (if, hypothetically, there was to be a next date). We imagined kicking puppies and a variety of other very politically incorrect scenarios.

This brought up a memory of my own. Once upon a time, many, many years ago, I ran into an old acquaintance. We spent a good time talking and reminiscing before he asked me for my phone number and out on a date. I gave him my phone number. The next day, the VERY next day, his engagement announcement was in the newspaper. He still called to ask me out.

How about you? I’m challenging all my fellow bloggers to recall a dating horror story. Maybe it didn’t happen to you but maybe instead it happened to a friend.

7 random things

Sandi tagged me to write seven random things about myself. I'm always up for a challenge so here goes...

1. I have the ability to turn my arms almost 360 degrees.
2. I love to read James Patterson books. Growing up, I was obsessed with reading The Babysitter's Club books.
3. I used to love reading phone books. Give me a new city or a new book and I'd immediately sit down for a long read. Now given my profession, I typically read newspapers just as much for the ads as for the news.
4. I am super sensitive. I would like to think if I were an actress I'd have no problem crying on cue. While I think my sensitivity makes me who I am, it's also somewhat of a handicap when I'd like to not be so emotional about things.
5. I have been a nail biter for as long as I can remember.
6. I've been getting grey hairs since I was 17.
7. I save most cards and letters that I get from friends and family members. I have them in a box and look through them from time to time. Some of them are 15 years old.

The ultimate drive

Kim and I took part in the BMW Ultimate Drive today to raise money for the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation. Kim drove a BMW and I was her faithful passenger. For every mile we drove we raised $1 for the foundation. On my to do list: rethink what I'm currently driving.

Sunny San Diego

Part II
I got home at 2:30 this morning so I'm tired but I had a wonderful time. First of all, it wasn't "Sunny" San Diego. May is known as May Fog and June is known as June Gloom. Even still, the view of San Diego is amazing. Thursday I traveled with Marcia and Diane (for those of you who don't know, Diane is Jodi's aunt and she and Marcia have practically adopted me as a niece since I've been in Columbia) to California and we arrived just in time for the Bachelorette Party. Friday we went to Coronado for sightseeing and we went shopping in San Diego at Horton Plaza (I did some serious damage at Baby Gap) before heading to Jodi's dad's house for the rehearsal dinner. Saturday we went to Seaport Village before the wedding. The wedding, by the way, was super fun (and a little emotional - everyone around me was crying). Sunday we hung out at Balboa Park before having an amazing seafood dinner with Jodi's family. I took so many pictures but below are just some fun highlights.

The wedding cake was tiramisu. And don't you just love this very nontraditional cake topper?

This was just one view of our hotel. When we pulled up I thought there'd been a terrible mistake and it was actually closed. Unfortunately, I was wrong. It was open. Open and under MAJOR renovations. We nicknamed the hotel, The Bates Motel. I tried to convince myself that early-morning hammering wasn't so bad and maybe it was kind of like a lullaby...that didn't work either.

Our hotel was in Little Italy. Guess where we ate every day?

Jodi and Brendon. I can't believe how grown-up Brendon is now. He's so smart and told us how excited he was that his mom was marrying Brian. Jodi definately has her son's seal of approval.

The happy couple. I loved the brown tuxedos especially with the pink bridesmaids dresses. Also, Jodi's stepdad Ralph officiated the ceremony after becoming certified online and Brendon helped walk Jodi down the aisle.

Brendon and I before the rehearsal dinner. When Brendon came home from school and saw me, his face lit up and he gave me the biggest hug and kiss ever. My heart melted.
Jodi and I at the Bachelorette Party. Jodi sang karyoke and did the best rendition ever of Sweet Child of Mine. Trust me, Axl Rose has nothing on her.
Brendon at Balboa Park.
The famous Hotel del Coronado. I loved this place!
A much better view from our hotel.

Sunny San Diego

Part I
Tomorrow I leave for sunny San Diego for five days. I am very excited to take this trip to California but even more excited to see my friend, Jodi. I met Jodi when I was in high school and we both worked at the same grocery store part-time. Jodi lived in a neighboring town and I had remembered seeing her as a cheerleader at some of our rival games. She was beautiful and outgoing and her personality was electric. I'll admit to being a bit intimidated by her but we hit it off and became the best of friends. The years that followed we stayed close while I was in college. Jodi moved to St. Louis and then Columbia but we still talked whenever we could. Then six months after college, when I still didn't have a job, I decided to make a move. It was the hardest decision of my life. Even while in college, I commuted to and from and lived at home. Somewhere along the way, I realized that in order to be the person I wanted to be, I needed to step outside of myself and make a move in order to find something better. I moved to Columbia and moved in with Jodi and her son, Brendon. I spent the first two months of my life in Columbia with them and hanging out with her at every possible free moment. It only took me a little over a month to land my dream job and I felt like she was there for me throughout so much transition. Leaving home for the first time and moving away, being depressed because I didn't have a job, finding the perfect job and, finally, settling in to adulthood. About a year later, Jodi and Brendon were making transitions of their own. They were moving to Colorado and I was devestated. What I realized later was that it was Jodi's turn to blossom. The transition without her was difficult but eventually I started stepping out on limbs, meeting new people, nurturing my faith and calling Columbia my home. Meanwhile, it took a couple more moves but Jodi finally found her footing and the perfect guy. Saturday she's getting married.

Damien

Breanne, Natalie and I hanging out before the show.

Breanne and I went to see Damien Rice at The Pageant on Friday. Not only was it one of the best concerts I've been to in ages but it was definitely the best use of lighting I've ever seen at a show. I do, indeed, have a new crush.

It's a...niece!

My sister, Cathy is having a girl. As you can imagine, I'm ecstatic.

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The Chicago Review

Memorable moments

• The amazing performance at The Color Purple. I laughed, cried and had chills. Also noteworthy, Michelle Williams of Destiny's Child starred as Shug Avery.
• Laughing at the absurd service we had at dinner before the show. Dare I say, Alison raised her hand during dinner to get our waitress' attention. Then our waitress informed us that refills were not free on our $2 shot-glass-size-o-Diet Coke. She also walked away from Alison mid-sentence and was rude, rude, rude.
• Cristin getting lost at the hotel and then calling the front desk to ask which floor room 1204 is on. That would be the 12th floor.
• Getting a whiff of Cristin's Mystic Tan while on the shuttle to the airport. Smelling Cristin's Mystic Tan again while sitting next to her at The Color Purple. And, finally, asking Cristin if she was going to go through spray-tan withdrawals.
• Shopping at H&M.
• Joe's friend, Rob giving me a Kinder Surprise.
• Oversleeping for our conference as my alarm didn't go off. I woke up at 7:30 (registration was from 7:30 to 8:00 a.m.) and we were still able to throw things together, take a taxi and be there by 7:45!
• Cristin waking up, probably paranoid about the alarm incident from the day before, and calling for a wake-up call for 6:45 a.m. The desk attendant said, "Um, that would be in seven minutes." Nevermind.
• Celebrating Monica's 30th birthday a week early.
• Cezanne to Picasso exhibit at The Art Institute.
• Dinner at The Signature Room on the 95th floor of the John Hancock Building.
• Our celebrity sighting at California Pizza Kitchen. We saw Richard Bull who played Nelson "Nels" Oleson on Little House on the Prairie.

Less than memorable

• Spiderman 3. Not nearly as good as the first two installments and quite disappointing.
• Camelot. The musical was not that good and probably even harder to sit through after seeing The Color Purple earlier in the week.

The Color Purple
Alison, Cristin and I at the show.
At dinner with Monica and Cristin.
With Joe at Camelot.