Whatever happened to Baby Jane?

Tonight Jemmy and Loraine came over for M, P, P & P (that's movie, pizza, pie and pals).

While watching "Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?" we ate, snuggled with Marvin and Shamus, and made almost non-stop commentary on the movie.  Ah, good times.  I don't know if I'll ever be able to say "you" correctly ever again.  And starting tomorrow I'll be wearing a heart-shaped drawn on mole on my cheek (just like Baby Jane).  Just because I'm fancy like that. 

The $6 ice cream cone?!

This morning I'm in the car on the way home from the city (dropping off my grandmother).  Loraine calls to say she and Jean are heading to my neighborhood for lunch and a movie.  I say "Oh, yes!" and head on over to meet them at Fentons.  I'm all excited because I rarely go there (even though it's about 2 blocks from my house).

Loraine and Jean have lunch.  I opt for an ice cream cone instead.  One scoop, one flavor on a sugar cone.  That's it.  Nothing fancy.  So imagine my surprise when the bill arrives and the ice cream costs $5.25 (for the ice cream) and $0.50 (for the cone).  Um, what?  Since when do cones cost extra?  And since when does one scoop of ice cream on a cone cost $6?!  (And, yes - I know it adds up to $5.75 but I'm rounding up, people).

Note to self - I'm crossing Fentons off the list.  Those sons of biscuits really sock it to you (and not in a good way).

This commercial cracks me up

I can't quit you, Urban Cowboy

Watched "Urban Cowboy" this morning - oh how I love this movie. Seriously. What's not to love? It's the perfect storm of goodness (Debra Winger, mechanical bull and a honky tonk bar).

And it reminds me of a trip to Houston that I took in college (senior year?). Boyfriend and I drove from New Orleans to Houston for the Thanksgiving weekend. I was obsessed with finding Mickey Gilley's. I had visions of spending the afternoon drinking Budweiser from long neck bottles and riding a mechanical bull. Ah, so dreamy...

We spent hours driving around Pasadena, TX looking for this place. Kept asking people on the side of the road and at gas stations for directions to Gilley's. We finally arrive at the spot that was Gilley's (see photo above) to find out they'd up and moved to Branson, MO years before :(

Sonoma Square? I'm *so* there!

Had a beautiful afternoon in Sonoma today with Sarah and LilyPants.  

We lunched at The Girl & The Fig.  Wine and quiche.  Two great tastes that taste great together.  LilyPants ate a whole lot of ketchup (catsup?).  Sar had the greatest grilled cheese sandwich on the face of the earth.  Yes, you read that correctly.  For reals, yo.  The greatest.  If the sandwich could talk it would sound something like this.

Next stop was the El Dorado Kitchenette for beverages and snacks.  I opted for jasmine tea and a butterscotch cookie.  The precious boy working there was all "That jasmine is my favorite green tea".  I was all "You're precious" (OK - I didn't say that out loud - just in my head).  He's all "Have you tried Numi Tea?".  I'm all "Yeah, love it!".  He's all "Blah blah blah..." (I don't remember what he said - I was in boy/ tea reverie.  His words sounded like adults speaking in a Snoopy cartoon).

Then it was off to the park so LilyPants could play.  Spent some quality time on the slide as well as at the duck pond.  In the top photo is the man that Sar named the "Duck Whisperer".  Well, he was actually a homeless man with a bag of bread for the ducks.  But, really - if you're going to be homeless wouldn't you choose to live in Sonoma?  It's better than Xenia, OH, right?

Wine + pals = good times

Had wine, snacks and yip yap at Marc 49 last night with Jemmy and Loraine.  This place is a total hit.  Oh, yeah, and so are my friends.  

Marc 49 has even got a wee patio zone.  Come on - booze, snacks and heat lamps?  What's not to love?!

I never promised you a rose garden

I love this song. Especially when I'm in a really terrible mood (like I am this morning).

As an aside - isn't she a doppelganger for Alex on the Real Housewives of NYC?

My posse's on Broadway, erm, I mean Polk Street

Spent Friday night with my two favorite guys - Michael and Nick.  We were at Bar Johnny for Jess' birthday bonanza.  The place was wee and crowded but their cocktail menu was sweet!  I had a few cocktails made with tequila, basil and some other sheesh.  Don't remember what they called it but it has the word "posse" in the name - what's not to like?

So, with this posse beverage in my hand (and belly) and Michael and Nick (the two silliest guys I know) by my side you know it was a good time.  I don't remember a lot of details except for the foxy bartender, Michael's friend's checkerboard slip-on Vans (meow!), "I Want Your Sex" on the jukebox, my saying something totally inappropriate (and untrue) about Michael's and my relationship to his co-worker (yikes...) and the warm, tasty, maple-y goodness from Bob's.

Spending time with Michael and Nick made me nostalgic for the good old days.  Two Beer Wednesday anyone?

Land of the free and the home of the wave

I'm watching Dirty Jobs on the tele tonight (Mike Rowe - meow!).  He's working on an alligator farm and the guy who runs the farm is wearing a Tulane t-shirt (you know, IAH's alma mater and sheesh).  Way to represent, alley-gay-dah man.

You're so beautiful you could be a part-time model

Another glass of hell?

Had dinner last night with Ann, Sarah and The Tami at the Schnitzel Haus.  The food was good (albeit heavy) and the company was fabulous (highlight of the night [and there were many] was Sarah yelping "Yes, that guy's a pussy!" to The Tami's tale of a pussy boyfriend spotted at a sports bar this past weekend).  

Oh, yeah - and this song was playing in the background - enjoy:

Another highlight was the beer menu.  While we didn't recognize any of the options we felt we had to imbibe.  The first option on the menu had the word hell in it - how could I resist a tall glass of hell?  And, I'll tell you what - that glass of hell sure was good.  If hell is really that smooth and tasty - count me in.

Need more pup in your life?

Check out this precious pup cam.  I'm going to make a cuppa cocoa, bring the laptop to the wee couch and cancel the rest of today's plans.

I think that their squeaks translate to "I love you, Aunt IAH".  In fact, I know they do.

Douchebags on parade

Went to the mall today (don't judge me!) and, well, yikes...

Things I learned at the mall today:

• young girls dress like whores
• their moms wear too much makeup (and hair spray)
• perfume gives me a headache (except for the one I wear, of course)
• the kiosks in the middle of the mall floor sell nothing but total poo (Clip on hair extensions?)
• handbags at Nordstrom are expensive
• handbags at H&M are cheapy
• people seem to think it's acceptable to talk on the phone all the time (e.g., in the bathroom, while shopping)
• I have become either a total crabbypants and/or mean old lady
• I have a crush on Tim Robbins 
• almost everybody at the mall call be classified as a douchebag (in my book, that is)

A weekend so good I'm only now (sort of) recovering

Oh, jeez - I don't even know where to begin.  All I can say is that it was the most fun-, action-, food- and friend-filled weekend I've had in a while.

Friday night was dinner in Santa Cruz with Jose, Juan Jose and Dana.  I miss seeing Jose and Juan Jose every day - those guys just kill me.  And Dana?  Well, she's just the best hostess in the whole wide world.  Delicious cocktails and wicked good food (oysters with bacon, people, oysters with bacon!!).

Saturday was spent napping/ recovering and then off to Loraine's birthday dinner.  Had a great time and the food was very good.  Elsie and I had some kind of peanut curry tofu - yes, please.  Finished the night off with The Tami's homemade cupcakes - oh, yeah...

Spent Sunday with Paul and Matt.  Celebrated Paul's birthday with lunch at Benihana (in Concord, of course - ay dios mio!).  The food was really good (as were the mai tai and sake).  And these boys are so precious they even watched a couple of episodes of Real Chance of Love with me :)

Who has the greatest friends in the whole world?  IAH does, that's who.

Nice try, MTV

This morning I get an email from Daily Candy about the launch of a new MTV website that has nothing but music videos (side note - Who writes for Daily Candy?!  Their sheesh is so weak).  

Wowee wowee wow wow - what a concept!  Per Daily Candy they have "just about any video ever made on demand".  Now that's what I'm talking about.  Do I need to remind you guys that I was raised on a steady diet of MTV, The Monkees and The Love Boat?

So I immediately click on through to the site and try out their search function.  Of course, my first search is for Billy Idol (I could use a little "White Wedding" with my morning cuppa coffee).  And...they don't have it.  Next search is for "Mexican Radio".  And...they don't have it.  Then I screamed "Screw you, Martha Quinn!" and threw my remaining coffee onto the computer.  OK, no - I would never do that.  But I did close out of the MTV music site never to return.  Nice try, MTV - but if you don't have Billy Idol and/or Mexican Radio then you don't have IAH. 

Get well soon, Merle

Nobody sings the old country song subject trilogy (booze, women and freedom) like Merle Haggard. This song (my Merle favorite) makes me want to break up and drink away the day - and isn't that what life's really all about?

Here's to my second favorite Merle (Merle Sande is my #1 Merle)!  Get well soon.

Steve Guttenberg?!

Wish this happened in my local park - meow!

Purity balls?

Saw this show on Purity Balls on television - scary stuff.

I love the idea of promoting relationships between fathers and daughters but this is not the way. According to families in this purity movement a woman's worth is in her beauty and chastity. There is nothing more to look forward to than saving yourself (and your first kiss) for your wedding day. Um, yeah...

How about encouraging daughters to value their intelligence? To educate and challenge themselves? To develop into compassionate, responsible adults? Instead they are brainwashed into judgmental chattel who pass from being their father's property to their husband's property. Instead of embracing their sexuality it is taken away - first by their father and then by their husband.