The adventures of Dean and the pudgy kittehs

Dean (and his mom) came over today to cuddle with the kittehs.  Oh, and hang my new bedroom curtains (have I ever told you that Elsie is my Schneider?).  Elsie rocks!!

How can you resist the cutest toddler in town when he's wearing a tank top.  A TANK TOP, people!!  Even the curmudgeonly kittehs couldn't resist his charms (and drool, hugs and kisses).

It's the little things that make me happy

I'm a simple woman.  Small things make me very happy.  Right now I'm drinking water from this hella sweet Pabst glass that Elsie gave me.  She salvaged it from a box of miscellaneous sheesh that she found on CraigsList.  And I love it.

Marvin is curled up (and squeezed) in a box next to me on the kitchen table.  I love it.

And the City of Oakland remembered to send me a parking permit renewal form (they forgot last year).  I love it.

It's been a good day.  And I haven't even told you about my morning with Elsie and Dean.  We worked on wedding invitations (they're going to be darling!) and had a great lunch at Rudy's Can't Fail.  Ah...good times.

Dean and his BFFs

Dean and Elsie came over yesterday.  Dean walked straight up to the kittehs to give them bear hugs, drools and snuggles.  Seriously the cutest thing I'd seen in a very long time.

When he came in for kitteh hugs he had an enormous smile on his face and was literally (lit'rally) shaking with excitement.  I could hardly contain myself.

Forgive me for recycling an old photo.  In all of the excitement yesterday I neglected to take pictures.  So - just imagine the cuteness.  

It's an omen!

Elsie and I went wedding dress shopping this morning. We walked into the store feeling tired, frumpy and a bit hazy (me from lack of sleep, her from cleaning up roadkill).

Moments after walking in this song came on the radio and it was like the heavens opening upon us. I squeal "OMG - it's 'She's a Bad Mamma Jamma!'" while Elsie and Dean start shaking their booties down the dress aisle.  I knew it as an omen that dress shopping would go well.  And, indeed, it did ;)

Breakfast bonanza

Had a fabulous breakfast yesterday at Aunt Mary's Cafe on Telegraph.  Not only was the food delish but everyone we met (especially our fabu waitress, Amanda) was a total doll.  Only wish I hadn't been so tired and hungover - would have enjoyed it even that much more :)

Loraine had a breakfast burrrrrito.  Dean had baby food from a jar.  Elsie had a greens and potato thing with eggs and a biscuit.  I had the usual (eggs and bacon) with a biscuit.  Oh - the biscuit!  

And just when I thought it couldn't get any better I received some late-breaking news this morning.  Our favorite old-timey country band, The Sweet 'n' Lo's, will be playing at Aunt Mary's Cafe from 12 - 2 on Saturday 10/25.  Ukuleles and biscuits.  Two great tastes that taste great together :)

Brown sugar - how come you taste so good?

Attention brunch fans!  Run (don't walk) to Brown Sugar Kitchen.  Went there this morning with Loraine, Elsie and Dean.  And it was hella good.  Loraine had a breakfast sandwich on croissant (yes, please!).  Dean didn't eat.  Elsie had egg and veggie tart and a biscuit.  Dude - this biscuit was heaven on a plate.  I'm not exaggerating.  Me?  I had the usual (eggs, bacon and toast).  It was delish.  What a great way to kick off a Wednesday morning :)

Ahhhh.....love to love you, Costco...

Picture this:  Elsie, Dean and I are on an innocent errand to Costco this afternoon to purchase baby formula.  That's it.  Little did we know what atrocities awaited us.

Costco atrocities:

• "LUV2COK" license plate spotted upon pulling into parking lot.  We tried multiple iterations to try to discern what this meant and are quite confident it's a shortened version of "love to cock". 
• Overfed "lady" (she was probably in her early 30s) in the parking lot wearing a half-shirt (with fully exposed belly) covered with a macrame shawl.  Elsie thought that maybe she was pregnant.  I know she's just overweight with no fashion sense.
• Gloria Vanderbilt jeans.  What is this - 1983?!  Sure - I rocked those bitches when I was a tween at the roller rink but, really...
• A man with an ill-fitting toupee (and he had used a liberal amount of pomade [perhaps in an attempt to make it look more "real"?])
• The scariest vendor rep on the face of the earth.  She's hawking ECOS laundry detergent (which I've used and think it's awful).  While I was pointing out this flawed detergent to Elsie the rep pounced upon us.  When she opened her mouth I almost passed out.  "Lady" appeared to have all her teeth but oddly they were all pointing in different directions.  How does that happen?

Now - the trip wasn't a total loss.  Dean got some cute outfits.  Elsie and I were also impressed by the number of organic products available.  But, whoa - if this is what goes on in and around Costco is it safe to return for an inexpensive bunch of bananas or a tetra pak of organic soup?

Crystal Gayle...again?!

Another day, another Crystal Gayle doppelganger...

I don't know what makes this story better - the fact that there's another "lady" sporting the classic CG 'do(n't) or the circumstances around the sighting.  You be the judge...

Elsie, Dean and I were frantically driving through the streets of Oakland and Berkeley in search of this bike shop (see below).  We pulled over to regroup (e.g., call the store for address and give Dean a bottle and cuddles [he was worn out from the trip to Costco {see above}]).  While we've got a few minutes of downtime Elsie says "I think it's a good idea to start a Crystal Gayle hair website.  What should we call it?".  We're brainstorming ideas when this specimen walks past us.  In classic IAH mode, I'm a total deer in headlights.  I'm staring at her, mouth agape and shaking my head in horror.  Thankfully Elsie was there.  Now that she's a mom she has faster reflexes.  She immediately snaps me out of my Crystal Gayle reverie with shouts of "Take a photo!  Get out of the car!  RUN!!!!".  Next thing you know I'm running down the street to catch up with "lady".  Thankfully there was a red light where she had to wait to cross the street or else I never would have captured this beauty.

Dean and His BFF

This afternoon I had a surprise visit from Elsie and Dean who were running errands in the neighborhood.  At least that's the story Elsie tells.  I suspect Dean was asking for some quality snuggle time with his BFFs (Marvin and Shamus) but she's too proud to say it...

Anyhoo - needless to say it was ridiculous.  Not just because the kitties are enormous and tower over Dean.  But because Elsie and I (being the tards we are) forced both kitties and Dean into snuggle positions.  Ah - kids and pets are the best...

Next time we'll take video (especially if we can get Dean and Marvin to spoon again).  That sheesh is going straight to CuteOverload.com.

Salad Soup Sucks

So - you know how when all of a sudden everyone you know starts talking about some restaurant and how great it is and how you're a total power tard because you've never been there?

It happened to me the other day with LP3.  No, not Loose Poop 3 or Li'l People 3.  It's La Pinata 3.

Suddenly everyone's all up in my grill about LP3:  "OMG - LP3!", "I can't get enough LP3!", "I would lick Barbra Streisand's alien fingers just to get a taste of that sweet, sweet LP3!".

Clearly I had to check this place out...

So - my pal Elsie, her baby Dean and I went there for lunch today.  Elsie had an enchilada.  Dean had a bottle of formula.  I had a taco salad.  Not sure what went wrong but it was the soupiest, sorriest salad since sassy Sally sold seashells by the seashore (oof - sorry, alliteration got the best of me).  Point being - the taco salad was lame.  The chips were good and the margarita was even better (so the visit wasn't a complete bust).  But is LP3 all that the people say it is?  I don't think so.

Today's lesson:  in the words of Public Enema (that was a typo but I'm leaving it) - don't believe the hype...

Tuesday's adventures

Loraine and I had lunch yesterday at Genova - yes!  Those who grew up in the East Bay are surely familiar with their sandwiches (and their Walnut Creek locations).  If you haven't been you need to run (not walk) to the nearest Genova.  I recommend swiss cheese with roast turkey  - that's what the cool kids eat :)

After lunch we went to visit Leslie and baby Dean.  Dean seemed to love the onesie I brought him.  After all - it's blue, has a cartoon deer (reminiscent of Sanrio's Deery Lou) with "Jamaica" below the deer.  What's not to like (especially when you're four months old)?

Then we were off to the Emeryville mall for a visit to Sephora.  I walked out with eye makeup remover, mascara and moisturizer (oh - and a free sample of foundation which I don't know how to use).  I have a feeling these new products will change my life.  In fact - I'm positive they will.  Watch out!