Rock em Rockies (Not to be confused with Rack em)

Rack em, rack em, funky chicken, rack em. Ok so that is from a You Tube video of this crackhead and I don't want to post the link because it's one of those situations that is really sad, but damn funny. If you have a sick sense of humor, just go to You Tube and type in Rack Em. Now back to my Denver posting...

We got back from the beer store and treated ourselves to some Kewrs Light on the back porch before heading to Kewrs Field for a Rockies game. But why go ahead to our seats and drink expensive beers when we can go sit outside the stadium at Fado's, an Irish Pub? So of course you know what we did...




I am not sure what inning it was when we entered the game, but we eventually made it to our seats, double fisting mind you, because heaven forbid we ever run out of beer. But here is the field in case you care...I absolutely LOVE the skyline in the background...

Before we knew it, and while everyone but Hunter and me went to get beers, there was an infield home run, which is kind of unheard of...so GO ROCKIES. And when the Rockies hit a home run, the fountains go crazy, everybody cheers, and it is awesome...

I had never really liked baseball, but everyone suggested that I go to a real live game to prove me otherwise, which was definitely the case! I had a blast!!!


And being from "Raleigh", where we are so "ghetto"...you know we just had to buhring IT to the game!!!

They ended up sweeping the Pirates so we went back to Fado's to celebrate! And by celebrate, I mean dance offs and beer tricks!

And before too long, we had to part with Fado's so that we could make it to the festival in the morning. But oh what a night!!!

Smile if you Swallow!

So we got up Friday morning at a relatively normal time considering the night before and headed to Brueggers for some breakfast. We passed through Wash Park, which was just gorgeous. There were so many pretty flowers in bloom and I wish I would have made everyone stop so I could take a quick pic, but I was worried that Jonathan was going to get caught on top of a sprinkler...inside joke. I will just have to keep the Wash Park photo opp in my head...

After breakfast, Kerri and I ventured out on our own to Red Rocks, which was beyond breathtaking. The mountains...not so much the picture of me...

Unfortunately, we were not able to go down into the amphitheatre thanks to Lyle Lovett, but the scenery sure did it for me. They are so fortunate to have this venue because any musician would be lucky to perform in the open air surrounded by this. Words definitely cannot do this place justice. This was one of my fave pics of the day because it captures the mountains with the Denver skyline in the back...just beautiful.


After our adventure to Red Rocks, we decided just to go to 16th Street Mall and walk around for a bit. There was a good "Denver" store there where I picked up 2 new t-shirts :), but neither were as cool as the guy wearing a 'Smile if you Swallow' t-shirt. Yes. In public. One of favorite past times, is to keep track of the most redneck/trashy/raunchy t-shirts I have seen (mostly at the free music events downtown, at the fair, or any other place that encourages people to crawl out of the woodwork). And this one certainly made the books.

It was so nice to walk around even though it was quite warm, but there is no humidity in Denver, which is just unheard of being from the South. And on top of that my stupid aluminum free deodorant doesn't know how to work, but all in all, a very nice afternoon checking out the downtown area. It reminded me of a bigger and better and safer and cleaner area that you would see here in Raleigh...ok so nothing like what we have here...but I am still amazed at how clean it was.

After a lovely stroll, we went back to the house to meet up with Jenn, Jonathan, and Hunter to grab a bite to eat. And holy cow. I am still thinking about my meal. My mouth waters every day for it. We went to a place called Thai Basil and I had the sesame tofu, extra spicy. And seriously, one of the best meals I have ever had.

With a full belly and wanting to immediately unbutton my pants, we returned home after a stop by the beer store, to get ready for my first baseball game!!!

Thirsty Thursday Part Deuce...Raleigh is Ghetto.

Ok whoa...took quite the hiatus from the blog, but now I am back. Let's see where we left off...aaahhhh yes...Kerri got home from work and we all went to the Spot, their neighborhood bar. I had heard so much about this place and I must say it definitely exceeded my expectations. Shocking that a bar would do that to me, but whatever :). It's just funny because when I lived with Kerri here in Raleigh, we went to the Point ALL the time. So it was nice to venture to her "Point" in Denver...and how awesome that it is called The Spot. So awesome. And I didn't realize until my way out of town that their sign is a little Dalmatian Pup...how presh.

So we chilled on the patio, drinking more Fat Tires, some Kewrs Light (as ordered by Hunter), and of course shooting some liquor. Way.too.much.fun. Great patio, great booze, great friends, just great. But there were a few weird things that happened as well, that certainly don't ruin a great time, but leave you with a little WTF action.

There was this guy there Morris, who had arrived at the bar shortly after we did with some Gelato...little insert here...Jenn later comes to realize that Gelato is ice cream and not an energy drink...and he proceeds to order 2 shots of vodka and 2 shots of rum so that he can enjoy his own Gelato martini. I wasn't sure why he would have brought Gelato to a bar, but come to find out, Morris cannot really be served at the Spot for whatever reason, so this was his way of getting his drink on.

ANYWAY, I happened to mention that I was from Raleigh and that I had been taking a hip hop class. He replied, "Yeah Raleigh is really ghetto." Excuse me. Are you kidding? Really? Raleigh? Ghetto? He was serious. He also further insulted me on my job saying that project managers expect everyone else to get the job done so that we can sit back and relax, while taking all the credit. Ok what? I was shortly done with him thereafter and apparently the Spot bartender felt the same because he was no longer able to be served. Loser.

Jenn finally got off from work and another friend, Jason, also from college was able to come join us. GOOD TIMES DEFINITELY HAD BY ALL as you will see below. You can certainly see the progression of the night...













As you can tell, I totally got back to my roots of ghetto Raleigh by the end of the night. And that basically sums up my first day/night in Denver! All I can say, is that I totally can hang!!! Dat altitude aint have nuthin' on me. Wooooooooorrrrrrddddd to your moms.

Thirsty Thursday

Well thirsty Thursday last Thursday...day one of vacay!!! I know you, my fans, have been anxiously awaiting to hear about my trip to the land that I love! Let's take a look at where it all began...

So my little sissie came to pick me up to take me to the airport...at 6:45 AM...which came a little too early for my liking after not going to bed till after 1:00 AM. Everything went smoothly with my check in and off to Dallas I went for some layover action. I headed straight to the bar, shocking I know, and a T.G.I.Friday's nonetheless to treat myself to my first vacay cocktail...a Bloody Mary to hopefully mask the beer smell from the night before. There is nothing quite like having some beers while packing.

While at the bar, I watched the UNC-GA Tech game from last season that was up for an ESPY (how awesome) and low and behold, 2 seats down from me was someone famous. Well I should say "famous" because I still have no clue who he is, but he has got to be known to other people, to let's just say some Broncos fans. It comes time for him to leave, and the bartender, who is your typical "I'm a bartender and I'm cool", I guess forgetting that he is not cool because he works in an AIRPORT bar says, "Hey man, do I know you from somewhere?" And he replies, "I used to play football around here, but now I play for the Broncos." That is the only way I would have ever known that this dude was "famous" even though my curiosity was peaked by the ice in his ears and his Louis Vuitton luggage...and his like 7 foot tallness.

After my cocktail and a house salad, I decided that I needed to go ahead to my gate because sometimes I have a bad habit of forgetting about why I am really in the airport. So I am sitting there reading the Independent and this boy (later to be known as Tommy, lead singer/keyboardist for the band Sofo) asks me if I am from Denver. And I tell him no, that I am from Raleigh, but traveling to Denver for the Mile High Music Festival. We chatted before boarding about the awesome music scene that is Denver and he gave me an even more awesome list of bands to check out during my stay (thanks again Tommy...they all rule...I will provide the list to you readers at a later time). And that's when I just knew I was going to fall in love with this place...strangers that are nice people willing to share and spread music...I could never ask for anything more.

After collecting my baggage, which by the way was like the third bag on the rotating thing, I arrived via Super Shuttle to my friends' house... I look forward to telling you more about the Super Shuttle ride some other time. Both pals were working, but Jenn had 2 friends in town who were there waiting for me...not really, but let's roll with it. Come to find out, these dudes were from Wilmington and had been in Denver for almost a week on their trip across the country. I had mentioned that I was starving and luckily they were too, so after following my friend Kerri's recommendation of the Hornet, we ventured on foot to grab a bite to eat...and to of course start drinking. That is what vacay is all about right ;)???!!!

So Jonathan, Hunter, and I ate some food...the best hummus of my life...and I drank a few Fat Tires, a new fave beer. I must mention that prior to me going on this trip, everyone including Kerri, had reminded me of the altitude and the toll it may take on my beer drinking skills. I am so calling bullshit. The last words Kerri said to me was "Drink a beer you don't normally drink, like Fat Tire, and don't get too drunk". I did both. And was completely FIIIIIIIIIIIIINE (in Sylvia's voice).

We headed back to their place to welcome Kerri home from work only to head to The Spot shortly there after...

I hate to leave you hanging like this, but it is time to hit the hay...I will try to post about the Spot and more tomorrow...believe me, I am as anxious as you are :).

I'm so in love...

With Denver! Like REALLY in love. L.O.V.E. Loooooooooooove. I don't know how to make it any clearer...but I just love that place. And I was only there for 5 days. If only finding quality dudes took 5 days...ha...not gonna happen.

Anyway, I have TONS to share, but I have quite the jet lag/drank WAY too much in 5 days/tiredness/grumpiness/depression to even discuss the shenanigans that occurred in the Rockies. But since I was smart and also took a day off to recover, I am hoping to post tomorrow.

Hope you didn't miss me too much...

Your Majestinastiness is Out...

Why I think that Majestinastiness is funny is beyond me, but for real...I'm out...of North Carolina that is! Headed to Denver to see my old roomie and to attend the Mile High Music Festival. I must warn you, if you check out this band schedule, you are going to be jealous. And you are going to be even more jealous, when I come back as Mrs. Mraz...

I have had many people in the last couple of days, mainly from work, ask me about what I am doing in Denver. I of course tell them about the awesome music festival that I am going to and the same question often surfaces...'Are you camping out?'.

If there is anything you should know about me, it is that I don't camp. So it's not the most important thing about me, but it is pretty high ranking. I don't camp and I am certainly not camping while in Denver. Just going to the Spot, a Rockies game, and for two days, the festival. But FOR REAL if there is one thing that you should know that I love, it's music. So before I leave, I would like to share with you the bands I look forward to seeing most while in Denver:

1. Jason Mraz...DUH

2. Eric Hutchinson

3. Brett Dennen

4. Spoon

5. Martin Sexton

6. Tea Leaf Green

7. Citizen Cope

8. O.A.R.

9. Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers

10. Dave Matthews Band

I know that there are a ton more and I honestly cannot wait to check them all out, but I guarantee pure satisfaction if you were to listen to any of the above. Seriously, as you can see I am way more excited of the first 8 (which you may have not even heard of) than the later. So I really do encourage you to listen/buy/borrow (but not from me) as I swear you too will fall in love like I have.

What the eff is this???

So sorry about two DISGUSTING posts in a row, but seriously, what the eff is this?

You may be questioning the thing that looks like a burrito filled with cat food, really it's filled with beans, but that THING...that THING hanging off the side of the plate was there nestled into my bean burrito only to be extracted by a confused, grossed out, almost vomiting, yours truly. Once extracted, the girls and I tried to figure out what it was. To make me feel better, they were telling me it was a spice of some sort. That was NOT making me feel any better because I swear that that THING is a damn twig to put it nicely, but secretly I think it is even worse. What did I do to deserve this? A bean and twig burrito. I just ordered a bean burrito and mentioned nothing of a twig.

So in true fashion, I politely called the waiter over, and said "Sir, can you please tell me what this is?" I slid my plate over to him and he picked up the "twig" with a napkin and closely examined this piece of tree that was snuggled up with my beans. And do you know what this crazy man says to me after rolling it around in the napkin as if drying the twig off to get a better examination..."Oh I believe this is an onion." EXCUSE ME. An onion? OK no. But I went with it to make myself feel a little bit better about what was going in my mouth.

And then...THEN...another twig, I mean "onion", was spotted in my coworker Emily's taco salad...

Seriously, GROSS. So unbelievably GROSS. I am officially grossed out so bad that I don't even know why I am still talking about it. I know what a damn onion looks like and it is not seen in any of the pictures above. So now out of the two Mexican restaurants I tend to venture to in this area, I can no longer go to either...uugghh. At least the other place didn't have random onion sticks in their food...just slow service and cold food...both of which are unheard of in a Mexican restaurant...

BUSTED

And just to warn you, this is pretty freaking disgusting, but something I have to share because I swear, these are the kinds of things that only I would see. Let me provide you with the setting...driving home from hip hop class, talking on the phone with TJ, and scrolling through my CD to find the song "Whoa" because that was the song for tonight's routine. Sounds like a lot to be doing while driving, but I assure you that all is good in the hood...or in my car. So I go to take my exit at the appropriate beltline (which only took me 3 years to master) and as I am curving around, I am able to see the traffic at the Glenwood stoplight. So I glance over at the other cars and happen to also see a homeless man with the 'standard' help me sign and then...this is where it gets gross, I watch him stick his hands in his pants, scratch around those parts, remove his hand, and then sniff it...all while I am going around this curve.

WHAT THE HELL??? Let there be no shame in being homeless, but damn...all the shame in the world to you for standing in a very high traffic area scratching and sniffing. Disgusting. I know you male readers are thinking 'Oh we have to adjust things down there'...WHATEVER...there is NO excuse for doing that in front of all those people and then having the nerve to smell your hands. I wish I would have had some money to give him to NEVER do that again...

His area code is 919...

I cannot even begin to tell you how many times a day I say the above...at least 3 to 4...just ask my coworkers. Sometimes it's more when his friends, coworkers, clients, car dealerships REALLY need to get a hold of him. You see, I live in Raleigh, but the area code of my cell phone does not match where I reside. I have had my cell phone number since I was a junior in college and it is just one of those things I don't want to get rid of. However, because of him, I often consider it. Seriously.

He lives in Wilmington. He has a sister-in-law named Laurie that likes to text him. He drives a Cadillac that seems to be getting serviced quite frequently. He is a photographer for the YMCA and New Hanover County Schools. How do I know all of this you may ask? Because those calling and looking for him seem to think that I am him or that I know him.

I am sure you are thinking, 'Why bother answering the phone', but these people REALLY need to talk to him. When I do not answer, they keep calling back over and over again and they leave messages for him thinking that they are going to get a returned phone call. I really think that it is just better for me to pick up the phone to tell them that his area code is 919.

But mainly I pick up the phone because these people are calling from the area code of my home town so I think that maybe just maybe they are calling for me. Maybe it's my mom calling me from the hospital about my granny or maybe my brother is at a friend's house and needs to talk to me. But it is NEVER for me...it's always for him.

He has called to thank me for being his secretary, which is very polite indeed, and even last week he called me asking if I was the exterminator. I still don't understand that one, but my how I wish he would change his number because I am definitely not going to.

2:00...The Best Part of My Work Day!

Besides eating my lunch and leaving for the day...DUH! I would like to introduce to you a little thing called the 2:00 song. Each day at 2:00 or any other time near 2:00, the girls and I at work play a special song to get people pumped about the afternoon. We even created a schedule so that we would know whose turn it would be to pick out a song each day. Fridays are special because we not only play a song, but we also have a dance party too! We are such the professionals...

Anyhoo, my day of the week to pick the song is Thursday, which just happens to be today. And from this week forward, I shall post the 2:00 song of my choosing. Today's lucky winner was Stevie Wonder's Part Time Lover. Again, real professional when playing at work. Nonetheless, an awesome song that really made everyone's afternoon...even if Karen thinks it sounded better coming out of the jukebox while having some drinks at one of our favorite spots...

So You Think You Can...

Get whiplash from a hip hop dance class??? Inspired by one of my all time favorite shows, So You Think You Can Dance, I felt it necessary to sign up for a hip hop dance class this summer. I must admit I was a little reluctant to take the class, not because of my inability to hip and hop, and believe me, I can hip and hop, but because it was for ages 13-adults. Quite a wide range of ages I'd say, but I signed up nonetheless...and with a friend so at least I wouldn't be the only adult in the class of teenagers that were ready to bust a move.

For the first half of the session, I must admit I was a little disappointed, well, with a lot of things. First of all, my friend mentioned above totally left me hanging and went to another class, thus leaving me behind to show these teens that this twenty something can move it. Second, I had never heard of the song for our routine nor did I even like it. I still don't even know what song it is...something about 26 Days and P. Diddy. Third, the routine was quite cheerleader-ish and not so street like I had anticipated. I was ready for booty popping and crumping and the knee slides they warned me about when telling me what to wear to class. I got none of that.

My how those days are over. Second session. New Instructor and it's a boy. He wears high tops and hoodies. And I think he may have given me whiplash. Well not him, but his choreography. For real. My neck is hurting so bad and I am only one class in. I mean whoa...this boy is street. He knows hip hop. He so has moves. Moves I have never seen, well maybe on So You Think You Can Dance, but those people are well trained and really freaking good. This girl...not so much. I did take 10 years of jazz and tap and was one of the captains of my high school dance team. But this. I don't know that I am capable of this.

Now I'm feeling a little apprehensive of the booty popping, crumping, knee sliding across the floor...and making my poor little neck do things that it doesn't want to do. But I am going to do it. I want to do it. I have 3 more classes to wrap up this routine and I just pray that I catch on next week. He tells me I will, but that damn crazy kick ball change slide move gets me every time...

I owe it all to Lucinda...

Lucinda Pepper...that's who. Although I don't know that I can use the word who, so much as she was a thing. You see, Lucinda Pepper was an old friend of mine. Again, I don't know if I can use the word friend, so much as she was a hot pink hair extension that would venture out with me for crazy nights on the town. And it is because of this thing, friend, hair extension that I have decided to start a blog.

I had often considered starting a blog, but had no idea what kinds of things, if any, I wanted to say to this crazy little world. I am no poet, well maybe a haikuist, if that is such a word. I am no world traveler, although I think I am pretty well traveled. And I am definitely no mother, although I love kids. Not saying that those are the only reasons to blog, but all of the above have something to say or share. I am just an (extra)ordinary girl that wants to share stories. And funny stories at that. At least I think they are funny...

Back to Lucinda...I am not quite sure why I even started thinking about her today or how I came up with such a name or why I thought it necessary to clip her in my hair. Who knows really, but whatever. The same will go here with my blog...really, anything goes. I think it will be a good time...or a good read nonetheless. But that is based on my definition of good, which is all that matters. Thanks for joining me on this ride...too bad Lucinda isn't around anymore to enjoy it too...