Friday afternoon in Beverly Hills

So we've been here in So Cal as a married couple since 2003 (I lived here before but didn't ever do anything interesting so my tourist-y life starts with Dennis). And it took us that long to go to Beverly Hills. I think we wouldn't have even gone but Dennis has a friend from the bank who wanted to do our hair and it was something we couldn't pass up.

We felt like huge tourists. And I felt like I was in the movie "Pretty Woman" (as an extra...)



Here is a red-carpet event with photogs and security... For what looked like Hennessy. The alcohol.




















At Tiffany's (well at the doorway...)


As close as I'll ever get...



On Beverly Drive, right before we went to the Gap (which I know we could have found anywhere but they were having a good sale on jeans...)


Dennis on the corner of Wilshire and Rodeo :)
































Dennis in front of this mega- Rodeo Sign that I kept zooming in on...






Zooom











Zoom back out...




















Wait- What in the world is the woman behind me doing? Is she a mime?


Dennis wanted to have a photo here too...


Hahahahaa! I was sucking my tummy in super hard for this shot and Dennis didn't even get my whole body!!




And we ended up missing the evening traffic on the 405 so it was a nice evening! (I can't say we had anything glamorous for dinner- we had McDonald's, which ended up upsetting both of our tummies).

I love this candy.

It's a green tea flavored candy- not a hard candy that you suck on but not super chewy either. It's just amazing. My Chinese friend gave me 3 bags and I have one and a half left. I love this candy and would love to buy it somewhere. But where? Where oh where can I find this candy?

10 Favorite Cities (that I've really been to)

I have some vents but I really want to blog positive so I think I'll put those in another post.
Instead, a blog meme.

10 Favorite Cities.

1. Santiago, Chile. Obvs. beautiful skyline and you don't have to own a car to live.


2. Los Angeles. Also obvs. I actually miss the rudeness when I've been gone too long.


3. Vegas. We got married here. It's a pretty neat place in small doses.














4. Rio de Janeiro.

awesome shopping, cheap, people walking around comfortable wearing bathing suits when they normally wouldn't.... people in Rio are generally super nice, even when they are robbing you. (I've never been robbed in Rio, note).

5. Hachinohe, Japan. The only Japanese city I know. Some say it's more country than city but they had a downtown. It is a good way to get to know Japan, in my opinion, and hell to the yeah I want to visit Tokyo and the rest of Japan now!!















a country that sells 20oz. cans of Diet Coke Zero earns a lot of stars in my book.










6. Buenos Aires. Best gnocchi, choripan, dulce de leche, and ice cream ever. BA is a brilliant place to eat. (and it's also pretty.)



7. I'm not going to lie. I actually don't LOVE Albuquerque. But we are running out of interesting cities that I love that I've actually been to. I grew up in Albuquerque. They have great Mexican food. And I see pretty in it the older I get. The key to loving Albuquerque is in visiting with money. Which I didn't have growing up. I almost substituted this with Santa Fe. But I have only been to Santa Fe once.


8. Dallas. Another one I don't really LOVE. But there are some good things. I like that everyone is so friendly. I like that they drink Diet Dr. Pepper like water. I like visiting Dealey Plaza with my husband to better understand the mysteries of the grassy knoll. Another city that is full of great food too.


9. Hollywood. It's a great place to people watch. But you have to pay to take pictures with people dressed up like action figures/dolls from horror movies/pirates.
















10. Malibu. Oh, Malibu, I will miss you when I have to leave you. It's weird living in Malibu, because Malibu is an unrealistic place even when you have money. But there are things I will miss! Like people leaving their cars ridiculously open and unlocked! Like random celebrities!

Like seeing Barbie doll colored cars parked at the grocery store!! (Honorable mention- that the main doctor at Malibu's Urgent care clinic advertises her skillz in plastic surgery and that the movie theater seats are LEATHA!!)

Give the gift of syphillis!

I think I kind of want one of these stuffed microbes. Perfect for the office. (And also perfect gift for your school nurse if you and the nurse are BFFs).


In other news, please Madonna, I will not say it again, please stop. Stop and go away. Please just go away. It's not working anymore.

10 Ways to Save Money...

Because I cannot sleep. Lately, I'm having the hardest time sleeping at night. Which affects my energy level in the morning.
So here are Ten tips for saving money:
1. Ramen Noodles (more cup of noodles). The Japanese eat them regularly and we have grown to love them despite their negative reputations amongst college student eaters.
2. Coupons at grocery stores. They don't double coupons any more but every bit counts.
3. Recycling bottles. Ten cents for 2 liter bottles of soda, 5 cents for small bottles. It adds up.
4. Paying your bills on time. It might sound like a no-brainer but those late fees kill you.
5. Asking your doctor for samples. Insulin can cost me over $45. But my doctor gives me samples when I ask. It helps out loads.
6. Going generic on just about everything so that you can go name-brand on things you can't live without. It's like pasta sauce. To us, pasta sauce is tasty no matter the brand so we don't mind buying the store brand.
7. Using internet and cellphones for long-distance calls. We call our family in Chile using MSN video chat, which is saving us loads in calling card expenses as is calling my family in the states using our cell-phone plan.
8. Drink water and eat out less. When Dennis got kidneys stones, I quickly realized that the best way to avoid future medical expenses related to his knack for kidney stones, is to drink less soda and eat less junk food.
9. Do your own pedicures. It hurts, oh it hurts, to sacrifice this joy. But in the end, that's money best spent elsewhere.
10. Don't succumb to the pressure of Christmas shopping-buying-going into debt!! This is the hardest! I really feel the pressure to get Dennis something nice this year but I know that we can't afford it. I am positive that many of those people who camped out on Black Friday to spend more than they had using credit cards to buy what "seems" like a good deal on a laptop or a plasma TV, are going to regret it later.

10 Things I want for the Holidays...

On a lighter note:
Ten Things I want for the Holiday

1. A wii.
2. Money.
3. For Dennis to get a nice job.
4. For my dad to spend Christmas or New Year's with us.
5. New bed sheets.
6. For my computer to be upgraded so that it runs faster.
7. A CGMS (rarely covered by insurance, you usually have to pay out of pocket.
8. New clothes are always appreciated.
9. A pedicure.
10. A parking permit that allows me to park where ever I please when I park at Pepperdine. I had it all last year and it was soooo freaking sweet.
**11. New pots (larger) with lids and a larger cookie sheet.

Halloween at the Mall.

We totally forgot that kids go to the mall to get candy as the safe alternative to neighborhood trick or treating. (we went for other reasons). It was so adorable. I expected loads of slutty pirates and saw loads of what halloween should be: cute kids dressed like princesses, jedi, dinosaurs and every other kind of animal, angels, vampires, etc. So precious. I didn't want to look like a child predator so I totally limited the photos I snapped with my beloved camera phone.

There were a few people (parents) who took it a little far. This guy- I'm assuming he was with his kids and his equally creepy wife (a very elaborate witch costume that was more like the witch from snow white than the witch from like a Shakespeare tale). Point: The guy was trying to be a devil or something? Hellboy? He had the body for it but it was weird to see a man in all red (body, hair, clothes, no shirt) standing with his kids in the mall waiting for the CHILDREN'S costume contest. I think if I was his kid though, I probably would think he was the coolest dad ever.

It's a tomato.

Not 'Jesus toast' per se, but seriously. It's a tomato. Why would anyone bid on a smiling tomato? Someone apparently has already bid on this tomato on ebay! Seriously. Seriously.

Here is the description:

Greetings!

After I made a salad for my family, I was shocked to see this tomato (which I refer to as my Jesus Tomato) smiling up at me. I was having a really bad day and then I saw this tomato, smiling, and I realized it must be a sign from above to let me know that everything is going to be alright! I could not eat the tomato. I washed the dill dressing from it and put it in a ziplock bag and in the freezer so that it would stay fresh, and smiling! I was going to keep the tomato but then I realized that all of us need a sign from above, even if it is in the form of a tomato. So I decided to put my tomato up for auction on ebay. One lucky bidder will be the proud new owner of the tomato. The tomato is frozen and I will have to ship it on dry ice. You can decide from there what to do with the tomato. You can keep it in your freezer and pull it out to look at it smiling at you when you are having a bad day or you can pass it along to a friend in need of some spiritual lifting.

Please email me with any questions prior to bidding. I am starting the bidding off at the small amount of $1.00. The amount for shipping is within the USA. Any amount to ship out of the country will be the buyers responsibility.

Best of luck to you!!! :o)



I really hope that the lucky auction winner of this tomato feels God's love when he or she opens the package. If you bought a tomato like this from Ebay, would you be a total jerk to just eat it?

"But it's FREE stuff!!!"

I am making my triumphant re-entry into Blogland by appropriately ranting about my husband's disgust over my ability to scavange the apartments and dorms for free stuff as people move out. He calls it trash. I call it barely used goods that make our apartment more like a home.

I picked up a magazine bin/holder thing. It's leather and the strap was broken so I had already made a mental note to throw it away again when the time is good. But right now, I really need a basket-type storage thing that doesn't look like a cardboard box to store ALL OF MY HUSBAND'S PAPER THAT TAKES UP OUR KITCHEN TABLE. (All of those papers that mean something to him but that I cannot file or throw away or shred.) It's an ugly leather bin but it's not an eyesore that clashes with our apartment.

I also grabbed a magnetic frame thingy that kind of looks like a cookie sheet (mental note to take a photo...)

So Dennis and I are not speaking right now. It doesn't matter that I made him breakfast, mopped the floor, am cleaning our carpets, etc. It matters that I went to look for something to put the papers in whilst cleaning the kitchen table.

Let's list all tof the things that we have because I scavenge successfully at Pepperdine:

1. Two couches

2. Coffee Table

3. Microwave

4. Television

5. Window unit Air Conditioner

6. Cute side table in the living room.

7. Loads of picture frames, including the frame that is holding the scarves and chopsticks given to us in Japan as traditional wedding gifts, as well as frames that showcase our families.

8. Our stereo

9. Our dirt devil

10. Four of our rugs- two bathroom rugs, one kitchen rug, and one bedroom rug.

11. The lamp in our bedroom

12. The lamp in our living room

13. Our sugar, flour, tea canisters.

14. Our mixing bowls

15. A kitchen storage shelf with a really pretty butchers block on top and two handy steel drawers.

16. A very handy stool.

17. Hammer and screwdriver.

18. Our fantastic Parisian art that decorates and MAKES our kitchen/dining room area awesome and complete.

And I'm sure this list will go on.

So, Dennis, you are wrong in being mean and angry because I choose to go to the public laundry rooms to find stuff that people moving away are throwing out. Especially because I donate loads of clothes and other stuff all the time and myself put things in our laundry room. Plus, people pay money for these things. I haven't been to a garage sale or to the salvation army (except to donate) in over five years and yet I still have all of this great stuff. And it was FREE!!!!!!

PS: Ultimate Revenge- I can publish a photo of me looking AWESOME and you not so much during our mission trip to Japan, whilst visiting Lake Towada. HA!!!

Got the dress!!

There is no way to make a red ballgown dress look good, when using one's camera phone and when you have decided to store the dress in your "office", next to the paper shredder. But here it is, in all of its glory. I think I look rather nice in it, despite having to go for a size bigger than I would have liked (but a size smaller than I would have gotten one year ago!) I may have to buy a strapless bra for it. But I will never go to David's Bridal again. Ever.

We finished our last trip ever by stopping at In'N'Out. Neither one of us are crazy IN'N'OUT fans- it is a cult favorite in California but I always thought it was overrated. At any rate, there aren't any close to where we live. But my Dad has been asking for a t-shirt from this restaurant that sells like 4 things, for like 3 years.

To complete our day, I took a photo of the car in front of us when we were driving home. To get home, we have to go through a one-lane each way canyon. It was a great reminder of one of my favorite "Dennis Complaints". This car had ALOT of room to drive fast, but he/she chose to drive slower than the speed limit throughout the entire canyon. When something like this happens, Dennis always says "Man. This guy has an expensive car and he drives like this?!!"
I love that my husband thinks that having an expensive looking sports car is a right that only "good drivers" should have. If you drive slower than my 80-year old grandpa and create traffic, you do not deserve an expensive sports car.

The good and the bad news.

Of the day.
Well, of the hour.

I tried to pick up my bridesmaid dress today. It was too small. Not because I've gained weight- I've actually lost a jeans size (woo!). But rather because they miss-measured my boobs. I am actually a size up in the top, because I actually have a problem with having boobs that are too big. People pay money to have this problem.

I felt depressed the entire hour it took to drive home (there's only one David's Bridal in the area, and it's in the valley and takes forever to get there.)

But I've decided to cut myself some slack, as clearly these are not every day dresses. And people PAY to have this problem. Also, this store claims to sell designer looking gowns and they make a gigantic deal about how they tailor the dress to your exact measurements. And I conclude that this is a big fat lie. They actually have the dress in your size, but they have it at "the warehouse". They don't tailor it. If you don't count the expensive alterations, they just send your size. So it is as "tailored" as getting a spring dress at Old Navy or the Gap, but with rouching and satin.


I did find out that my cousin is having her wedding in the evening. So it is in the desert, but thank God it is as it starts to cool. Because this ball-gown dress was super heavy.

Also, a HUGE reason to be thankful:
My cousin is not making me wear anything in this material-


Jordin Sparks wore it last night on American Idol and now Cate Blanchett is wearing it. And it is horrible and not flattering. This material is ONLY for Mexican Wrestling Heros like Nacho Libre. NEVER for women.

Who made these shoes?

Because they should probably get an award for "Ugly Painful-Looking Shoes of The Week"

Seen on a girl that is in one of the OC-type shows (Maybe she's in the OC? I don't know. I limit what I watch on that channel to America's Next Top Model...)



I'm fifteen minutes from going out the door to babysit (Friday Night! Woo!) But I thought these shoes needed to be mentioned. They kind of look like the material that you use sofas or car seats. Like the same leather in the luxary car that someone's mom drives. I wonder if they have that awkward squeaking sound that you hear when someone moves on leather, and it sounds like passing gas and they go "no, it's not what you think... it's the chair!"

How did she put them on?? Also, now that I look closely, why does her left foot like she has ten toes? Where does the shoe end and the foot begin?

PS: the dress is exactly the dress I've been referring to with love as a tent dress. She dresses it up. I wear it around the house like a nightgown.

My love of the tent dress, etc.

I was planning on blogging about the tent dress, and my deep love of it. I have two black Old Navy tent dresses that I wear around the house, sleep in, and wear with jeans. (Yes, I wear them with jeans). It is not a figure flattering love, and I have backed off on the jeans, mainly because I am starting to wear these dresses as solely loungewear. Today was the perfect day to bring up my love of my tent dresses, as I went out barefoot and braless to check the mail, and I realized I looked absolutely ridiculous and maybe scandalous. I have to remind myself that our apartment complex is for grownups and that I'm not in a dorm complex anymore, where I can walk around in my pajamas.

This is a good opportunity to bring up three other interesting fashion related things.

First: HELL-TO-THE-YEAH!!! for the new "America's Next Top Model"!

It might have been a fixed/scripted win to make the series look better, but they finally crowned the "plus-size" (but not really, but kind of) model!! I cheered for the first time in a few cycles, and I scared Dennis!
I still find Tyra Banks incredibly annoying though. But woohoo for them picking a girl with curves!!

Second:

Had I known that tying two sheets at the shoulders, in a lazy version of a toga- paired with pink shorts- could be fashionable, maybe I would be...
I can't think of anything that would make me better if I did something like this. Even when Scarlett O'Hara made the drapes-dress, it looked like an awesomely made dress and not like a pink toga and shorts. Dear model, please don't dress yourself. Thanks, Erin.

What is the darker purple stripe in the middle of her pants? And does she realize she bought the same pants my grandma used to wear? The same pants my grandma either bought at Targer or at a second-hand store for a dollar?? I don't even know who this woman is. All I know is that she was photographed for some kind of event that warranted nice shoes and a nice clutch. And a nice outfit. Not the top that you might wear for a New Year's Eve party and my grandma's pants. Good Lord.


So, in conclusion, if you got this far, I concur that my love of my two black tent dresses is a drop in the bucket compared to what these two ladies have cooked up for fancy events that require getting your nails did.

I'm a bad Maid of Honor. Maybe.

I have been putting off the bridesmaid dress purchase for my favorite cousin (and my only girl cousin). It's $180 plus extra for a special sash and I hate bringing this up with Dennis, and I hate thinking about it, and I now really wish my cousin would have fallen in love with something a hundred bucks cheaper.

According to David's Bridal- I called two separate stores- if I order the dress this week, it will arrive the week before the wedding. Which is fine. Unless I need alterations. Which I wasn't planning on needing, and I don't know how big of a deal they are. One of my good friends who just had her own wedding and is a bridesmaid, and who is familiar with the store, said it takes less time than the store gives you.

So, it's just a pain. I have to go to the store to make sure that I fit- I've lost a little weight since I tried the dress on last. And the nearest store is like 45 minutes away.


I suppose all of this would be different if I felt a little more connected to what is going on with the bride. I am her maid of honor, and yet I have no idea what is going on in this wedding. I have no idea who the other bridesmaid is (there are only 2 of us). I don't know if she expects a bridal shower the day before the wedding (I will try to throw a bachelorette party...) And I have no clue what she wants, because she isn't registering. I don't know anything about the wedding, and I am just annoyed and frustrated. I can't make e-vites because most of her friends don't even have internet connection.

To all future brides:

Please communicate with your bridesmaids, especially if they are out-of-state. Please think of them when you are thinking of the dress. Think about the costs, think about the location- if you are having your wedding outside in a ghost town in New Mexico in the summer, pick a summery dress. Not a big-ass ballgown in black. (Actually, it was my suggestion to do black for myself as I am the Maid of Honor. But now that there are two of us, I suppose I could have stayed with red).
Just. Look, I know you are stressed out with life. Job, school, family. I get it. And I know that throwing a wedding isn't cheap. But if you don't communicate with your Maid of Honor, she might start to freak out.
Also, if you choose inexpensive options, you can do more. You probably will get better gifts too. I know you don't want to hear us say "I will look for the dress on EBay" (note: not what I have said or done) but you can't blame us after we fork over money for everything else.

Also, seriously, after all of this, you better not get divorced. And if you get remarried, do it in Vegas.

Thanks,
Erin

10 Thingss I'd do to Pimp Out My Crib...

Ten Things I'd do to fix my home if I had the time or money:

Because our Pepperdine-OWNED apartment is soooo cozy and perfect...
1. Install a bathtub
2. Install heating/air conditioning system
3. Get a nice new TV for the living room and the bedroom.
4. new kitchen floors.
5. A super sofa that is big enough to lay on and nap on...
6. Some new and bigger pots to cook with.
7. A dishwasher
8. A better ceiling lighting system. These are like office lights and we try to use lamps instead. A lamp/ceiling fan combo would be so pretty.

9. A new bed with a bedframe instead of a mattress and a box-spring on a frame with no headboard.
10. New sheets/comforter to go with the new bed.
I could go on and on....

An Apology....

Dear Breasts,

After viewing THIS bounce-o-meter, I must apologize. I had no idea the irreversible damage that I was causing you guys. I have not made you a priority, I admit. I mean, we have a pretty good relationship. But I should invest in better sportswear, instead of spending the money on another pair of pants or flip-flops or whatever. I guess I've always thought that you know, I'm not in my thirties yet. And there is still time. You know, I don't have gray hair or anything...
Anyway, the bounce-o-meter was hypnotic and gross. I had no idea. Permanent tissue damage. Yikes.

So, I don't know honestly when I will follow through with this, but I'm thinking of you guys. Hang in there.
Sincerely and with love,
Erin

PS: I know I never refer to you as "breasts". Not even to my doctor. So, it's just because you know, this is a serious letter about health and permanent damage, and I thought you deserved a respectful opening line...

Atleast there isn't a butt bow...

So basically, I'm my cousin Heidi's Matron of Honor for her June wedding. And it really is a big honor. I'm actually super excited because a)someone loves me/trusts me enough with such a job and b)it's my cousin, who I do love dearly.

So today, I totally though of the new movie "27 dresses" when Dennis and I went to David's Bridal to see if they had the dress for me to try on. They didn't have my size or the color (her colors are Apple Red and Black and I HAVE to get the dress in THIS style). So I will go back another day and see if maybe something came in stock or I will probably have to order it.

The fun(sarcastic fun) part is that it HAS to be this dress but in Red preferably. And since I'm the Maid(tron) of Honor, I have to figure out how to make my dress look differently. I am waiting to hear from her on what she prefers but these are my options:
1. I can get the red like the other bridesmaids, but with a black belt/bow thing
2. I can get an all black version
3. I can get a black version with the red belt/bow thing.

I don't think getting something similar would be an option....

I can't imagine having to do this 27 times. I am quite grateful that her colors are red and black, because as beautiful as some colors are, these dresses are expensive and you usually only wear them once. AND some colors are pretty on flowers but not flattering to the female body.

Thank you, Heidi, for not choosing this dress.

Don't be fooled.

I just saw a commercial for "The Buxton Over the Shoulder Organizer". It's claims are genuine leather and organization so perfect, that you can find things in your purse blindfolded! Gone are the days when you have to dump out your purse to find your cellphone!

Dear Buxton Bag Makers:
I am not fooled. Let us begin with your claim that your bag is real leather for only $19.99. Real Leather Is NEVER $19.99 (what part of the bag is "real leather"? the strap?)

You also claim that this "chic" bag looks great with any outfit.
I can promise you that you will NOT see anyone with any sense of fashion (actually I can think of Melanie Griffith wearing this... But definitely not Angelina Jolie or Nicole Kidman) wearing this bag. This bag screams "my grandma will totally love this for Christmas".

Lastly, you claim that this amazing bag organizes everything. Your commercial shows a pretty blond and blindfolded model picking up a pair of glasses from the purse. How many takes did it take for the blonde to pick up the glasses blindfolded? Was there anything else in the purse or did you make it easy for her? Yes I went there. I just went there. My point is that if you gave me this purse, I can guarantee you that I will still end up searching around for my keys and my cellphone.

Just call it what it is.
Thanks,
Erin

Introducing The Muse Collection

Alright, guys, time to finally give up my big surprise:
The Muse Collection, my husband's new company.


We've been working on this all year and it's pretty fantastic. Dennis is now the CEO and owner of his own purse company!! We sell purses! Really great ones!! Me, being addicted to purses, find this new company to be kind of like living in a bakery. If I lived in a Krispe Kreme, I would probably never stop eating. I am living in a purse store. My clothes and my hair smell of leather and I wish I could keep them all. (I have one- a brown suede hobo that I adore).



Visit my husband's website! Tell your friends! Add us to your Christmas/Hannukah wish list!!


(a satisfied customer who is our unofficial legal counsel because she just passed the bar exam in CA!)

Open Letter to Hubby...

Dear Beloved Husband,
I really want to change cell phone providers. And get a new cellphone. I know that it is not a priority, but Cingular really sucks. And I know that I don't need and probably won't use the camera part of the phone. But I would like very much to have a new phone. And this is something to help both of us. Your phone is a dinosaur. Really really old. Change it please. I'm tired of dropped calls and missed calls and a half a bar in my office.
Our 2 year contract ended at the beginning of the month. And I know you are avoiding this issue of changing providers and phones, like the plague. I get that shopping for phones to you is like going to the dentist for me. I also know that we are stressed financially because you are starting your business and because your ex has the nerve to ask for a raise in child support after ignoring her daughters and leaving them with you for two weeks (speaking of, yes, we both find it odd that even though the court ruled that they should stay with their mother that they are right now unofficially living with her parents and yet she wants more money...)
And so I get that cell phones are not number one on your list. But you've been gone a while and I was really looking forward to cellphone buying with you when you returned.
I'm selfish, I know. I've been wondering lately why I a)am having a cynical and mean outlook towards people in general instead of being nice and graceful and b)why I feel like I don't deserve grace.

But that's besides the point. You are sleeping right now and I am so glad you are home again. Thanks for helping me study for my Hebrew quiz. You are the best husband ever.

Love always,
Erin