Bye Bye, Dallas

So the time has come that I have to say goodbye to my fair city of Dallas. Today marks my last weekend in this amazing city, though I don't think it's hit me quite yet that I'm leaving. I have a busy few weeks coming up still! I'm moving to Austin next weekend, Vegas the next, Raleigh the next, and will be in Austin permanently the following. PHEW!!! Talk about a busy July/August!

I really can't believe it's been two years since I moved here, either. I will always have a very fond place in my <3 for Dally and will surely be making many trips back (a lot of which I can attribute to my boyfriend still living here!)

So, goodbye Dallas. I'll be seeing you.

23

".. only comes once in a lifetime .. don't it just fly by wild and free .."

I know, I know .. the lovely Tim McGraw said "17" does, but I have to say that 23 did too. Oddly enough, it also went very slowly. Is that even possible? If it is, it happened.

Twenty-three was a hard year, but it was also a great year. I changed apartments, changed jobs, changed boyfriends, made new friends and was accepted to grad school. I'd say that is a lot of change in a year! A lot of good change, though.

It is hard to say what 24 will bring me, but I know that health, happiness and success are three things on my birthday wish list. Regardless of whether it's your birthday or not, I hope the same things for all of you out there, too.

xo -

E

Southbound 35

I am about to be Southbound 35 headed to Austin for the weekend -- soooo excited!! I hope that your weekend is as great as you want it to be. XOXO

$6 Dream Job

I'm sure some of you have heard of the guerrilla marketing genius that is Alec Brownstein. For everyone else who is clearly in hiding, he is behind the one-of-a-kind $6 Google Job Experiment.

This is the stuff dreams are made of, people. If you want it - go get it. And for him to be in advertising ... (sigh). This is brilliant.

Click the link - here - to see the video version.

Welcome Back

Welcome back, friends!!

It has been a while, but I am back and going to try my best to update much more frequently. So much has been going on lately that honestly for a while, I completely forgot about my blog. Sad face.

I am trying to figure out a new direction to take this blog. It has been such a mish mosh of what I'm thinking/feeling/loving/hating, and I have a few ideas for where I want it to go. So stay tuned until I figure all of that out.

So, without further adieu, here's what's on my mind this evening:

1. Modern Family

If you aren't watching, what the hell are you doing on Wednesday nights at 8 CT/9 ET?!?! I'm so serious. I have never wanted to cry (laughing), pee in my pants (laughing) or keel over from stomach pains (laughing) so much with one show. This is single handedly the BEST new show on television. Do I have you convinced yet? If not, watch full episodes on ABC.com or click here -- you'll thank me later. Also worth noting that they are re-airing the whole season again this summer. Yes please.

2. Mirassou Cabernet Sauvignon

I was never one for drinking red wine -- it always seemed so strong, so tart and really 'heavy' (for lack of a better word.) Introduce: Mirassou Cabernet Sauvignon. This is such a terrific wine, it actually needs no introduction. It has a hint of berries/sweetness at the end, so it leaves your taste buds wanting more. It has the taste of a white, dessert wine yet it has all of the body of a normal Cab. Perfection. I don't think anyone does it better than them. What's even better is that the Albertson's in my neighborhood sells it for $8.99 (normal retail is around $12.00-$13.00). Yes. Under $10.00 for a wonderful beverage. Need I say more?

3. The Pioneer Woman (blog)

Ever just eaten lunch and been incredibly full but then you looked at pictures of your favorite food and now you're ravenous? Well, ThePioneerWoman.com will have that effect on you. Not only does she look like a phenomenal cook, but she is one hell of a photographer. She has step-by-step picture instructions of how to make her delectable treats, and lets just say I might not cook any of it (because I'm not a great chef) but I love pretending to learn. Food Porn. That is the best way of describing her site.

4. Radio Contests

I feel like I'm reliving my late middle school/early high school days. I have become completely obsessed with trying to win contests on the radio. I won tickets to a concert last spring and I'm not sure if there is something in the air, but I can't give it up trying. I have been caller #3, #14, #28, #32 (winner is caller #33 .. damnit!!) I am determined to win. I will let y'all know as soon as I do (notice I am not saying IF.)

5. Fedoras

Laugh all you want, but I have really gotten into this lately. Right now I'm only sporting it with swimwear or when I'm lounging, but it is so multipurpose. A. It protects you from unwanted sunrays B. Ensures that your head does not get burnt (because who wants to use sunscreen on your head) C. Looks so cute D. Looks so cute (I realize I repeated myself.)

I'm also off to Austin this weekend to look for an apartment to move into in August, and to overall have a good time. I am so excited!! I am sure I'll have plenty to write about after that.

Well anyway, that's all for now. So happy to have you back (if any of you still check in) :)

Cozumel (In 6 Pictures or Less)

.. and in this moment, I am happy.

Realizations.

I realize I haven't blogged in a long time -- I'm sorry! So much going on and not enough time to even think about the internet after work, much less blogging.

A couple of things:

1. I'm off to Mexico tomorrow. I have never been and am so excited. Will definitely post pictures upon returning to "the states."
2. Isn't it funny how realizations come to you out of the clear blue? You just realize how much better you are without someone or something and you wonder how you ever thought you were good with it? Had a few of these epiphanies lately.

Anyway -- off work and onto packing.

RomCom

I am not the biggest fan of romantic comedies. Sure, they are fairly funny and entertaining, but I typically find them extremely cliche and played out. Sure, it'd be ideal to meet the love of your life on top of the Empire State Building or "accidentally" get married in Las Vegas after a crazy night only to find out that you "accidentally" married the one. But really, people -- this stuff does not EVER in a million years happen.

Even though I seem like a cynic, I do love a good romantic moment every so often. Below are a few of my personal favorites.

Love Actually

This has to be my absolute favorite scene in the movie -- that simple, little sentence is so moving. A real tear jerker, even to the biggest pessimist (i.e. me.)

The Notebook

Honestly, who can forget when Allie and Noah reunite after all of those years apart? Their summer fling blossomed into a beautiful romance. This is hands down one of the ONLY chick flicks that has ever made me become hysterical.

Jerry Maguire
"You complete me." and "You had me at hello."
C'mon, need I say more? Though they might be cheesy, they are still pretty damn cute.

What's your favorite romantic scene from a movie?

Drugstore Finds

As some of you may know, I am a BIG fan of pampering myself. Every girl should be! A little pedicure, massage, etc. never hurt anybody. However, my advertising salary is not very conducive to said pampering, so besides my monthly (or so) trip to get my toes 'did', I have to find ways to make it work (a la Tim Gunn.) So behold, my list of drugstore must-have's to make you feel fabulous:

• Blistex Medicated Lip Balm -- This little slice of heaven has been my absolute staple since age 15 (ask my mom.) I don't go anywhere without it. It runs about $1.25 (or less!) at drugstores and even has SPF 15 (hello, gorgeous!)

• CoverGirl Perfect Point Eyeliner (Shown in Espresso -- I recommend Onyx Black) -- Again, another must-have in my repertoire. I rarely leave home without this bad boy. It runs right under $7 and I personally think it works better than most high-end eyeliners.

• St. Ives Apricot Scrub -- I know each and everyone of you out there have tried this at some point in your life, and how can you NOT love it?! It feels like I'm getting a facial and always leaves my skin moisturized and glowing. I think this amazingness runs around $5.

• Tweezerman (Slant Tweezers - shown in pink) -- Pure perfection. No need to get an eyebrow wax, these can grasp even the tiniest of hairs and remove without even a flinch (unless you get your skin, which I typically do.) I've seen this cutie for around $10 at Bed Bath & Beyond.

What are some of your favorite drugstore finds?

Let it snow ..

It is snowing in Dallas! And I'm not just talking a flake here or two. Ground sticking, freezing cold, huge flakes! It is beautiful, but I'm worried about people driving on this. Texas drivers aren't the best to begin with (everyone thinks they are Jeff Gordon), and throw in some wacky weather, and the people drive like they're nuts!

This picture doesn't do it justice, but just remember friends -- it gets to be over 100 degrees in the summer here!

Anyway, I'm still at work now, but hope to be able to enjoy this powder (safely!) from my apartment this evening :)

Peace, Love & Starbucks Cups

I am in LOVE with the new Starbucks cups. (Haha, get my play on words .. yes, I'm a dork.) Perfect and just in time for Valentine's day (obviously.) Apparently Starbucks has donated 14,000,000 (YES, that's MILLION!!) days of medicine to help people living with AIDS in Africa. So awesome!

Speaking of Starbucks, I am well on my way to become a Gold Club member. Apparently all you have to do is buy 30 drinks within a year! (Or a month like I do .. either/or.) Then you get all sorts of cool rewards, such as:
* All registered Starbucks Card holders get a handcrafted birthday beverage of their choice.

* Free Wi-Fi – Up to 2 Hours a Day

* Free Beverage Customization

* Free Brewed Coffee Refills with Each Visit

* Free Tall Beverage with Whole Bean Purchase

* Free Drink Every 15 Stars

* Personalized Gold Card

* A Free Beverage on Your Birthday (June 17)

All in all, I think it is a great rewards program. You can get started here :) Happy Sipping!

It's Official.

It's official -- I just got my acceptance letter to the University of Texas at Austin for graduate school! I will be getting my Master's in Advertising at the #2 graduate advertising program in the U.S! I am seriously so excited to call Austin my home in August 2010.

HOOK 'EM HORNS!!!

PS - This does not make me ANY less of a Gator fan. I will ALWAYS bleed orange and blue (but now I will bleed just a little burnt orange and black.) ;)

The world keeps spinning ..

I joined a gym yesterday (insert excitement here.) Obviously today's first order of business was to catch the 6 am spin class. It was a Les Mills program, so it's fairly generic, but it felt AWESOME to already get my workout out of the way!

Also, let us not forget that I'm going to Mexico in 39 DAYS, so a workout was/is/will be in order daily. As another teaser, here is where we will be staying. It's going to suck. so. bad. ;)

Just remember ladies, "everything happens for a reason."

I used to think the phrase "everything happens for a reason" was so cliche, overplayed and annoying. I felt like the only people who said it were the people who needed a reason to explain away why things happened to them. However kids .. I eat my words. The quote could not be more applicable or true.

I usually stray away from discussing anything in specific detail but after this weekend, I could care less. This is what I feel like blogging about tonight!

The end of 2009 was an absolute blur for me. A lot of shitty things happened and it felt like I was dragging my feet in order to just find a way to be happy. I started dating a couple of new people, not really putting much effort into anything in the event that I got hurt. I felt like one of them had some potential staying power, however he was in a similar situation that I was in, so we just kept it very casual. A hang out here. A movie there. Random BBM's.

And then one Sunday night it was like a lightbulb went off. And it was different. And I can honestly say without a doubt that I have not been this happy in months .. maybe years. It's open, it's honest, it's real, it's adult .. it's something you want when you didn't know you wanted it.

I am a fiercely independent person, and usually need what I like to call "personal time" -- basically a few hours (or a day) of time, by myself, just running errands or doing chores with no one to pay attention to. And for once, I don't really need or want this "personal time" because he isn't needy, or attention getting, or demanding. He let's me be me, bad or good, and it is fantastic.

God, I realize how much of a girl I sound like.

Anyway, I guess everything does happen for a reason. And as long as 'everything' never makes me frown, well .. I suppose it's okay to say that silly little quote every once in a while.

Do you ever feel like Charlie Brown?

I was a big fan of his growing up. I must've only been 7 or 8 years old when I got hooked. The Peanuts movies were the best -- The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown Christmas, etc. I always felt like I could relate, even as a child. He'd run to kick that football, and Lucy would undoubtedly always pull it out from under him. Like clockwork, Charlie would fall on his back, defeated. Then Lucy would stare at him and that would be that. Rinse and repeat.

Now that I'm an adult, I still, at times, feel like Charlie. I go-go-go with all my might and it still doesn't seem to be enough. I'm not able to kick the ball, and I'm going to wind up on my ass and clueless about what happened, even after all of that.

Some recent occurrences have made me really question myself and how what I do affects my family, friends, co-workers .. AND me. I feel that at times I give too much, am too helpful -- and only to the detriment of myself. From now on, I'm going to look out for those closest to me and me only.

Mom and I talked today and we came to the age old conclusion (which we've gone over and over again) that the only people who will look out for you is, well .. you. And as cynical, heartless and selfish as it sounds, I'm going to start doing just that.

Oh, the hidden meanings. Some of you will know what this means, and others will have no idea. But I promise from today forward, I am going to be no one's punching bag. I will no longer be Charlie Brown.

This S#!T is BANANAS ..

It's really a random thought -- but I will ONLY eat overly ripe bananas (see picture above.) I had a green-ish one the other day and it nearly made me sick. Am I the only one who waits until they are all mushy to eat them?

Wow.

So, I actually have five minutes to sit down and blog. That's a weird feeling! I haven't tweeted in nearly that long either .. my life has been crazy lately.

Our first quarter at work is flying by -- probably due to producing three different commercial catalogs and countless other one-off projects. I will say, I love being busy though! A little pressure always feels good to me. I thrive off of stress.

I booked a trip to Mexico -- yes, I did. The same person who is constantly practical with her money is throwing caution to the wind and is going to Cozumel for a 4-day, all-inclusive vacation south of the border. I may even splurge and swim with the dolphins -- we'll see if I'm feeling crazy. But yeah. It's going to be amazing! And just to make you all jealous, this will be my view for a few days:

Yeah .. it's gonna be a rough life -- I realize this. I've never been to Mexico, so I'm pretty excited about it. Plus, I get to break in my new passport (first one as an adult.)

I'm also joining a gym, which is undoubtedly driven by my upcoming Mexican vacation. I cycled at 6 AM this morning and I'm feeling pretty great.

Overall, I've had a great past week. I'll write more meaningful stuff later, but at least wanted to get a post in.

Run Forest, Run

I've been consistently running for a week or so now .. I love running and one thing on my 'bucket list' is to run a half marathon. Well, all in due time, friends. I will be participating in my first 10k (6.2 miles for all of you unfamiliar with the running world) in late February. I'm racing in the Cowtown Marathon in Ft. Worth and am really excited about it. It's a 7:30 am run and apparently the marathon is a qualifier for the Boston Marathon (pretty serious if you ask me.)

Anyway, I'm super excited. I ran 5 miles on Saturday with the boy (who is running Cowtown with me) and our time wasn't too bad -- around 9:15/mile, I believe. We are looking to get it down to 8:30, which is totally do-able seeing as we have around 40 days left until go-time.

So in the next couple of weeks, I am going to cut alcohol consumption down significantly and continue to eat very clean and healthy (fairly easy for a vegetarian to do!) I love the feeling right after you finish a race -- it is such an accomplishment!!

Wish me luck! xo

Bradley Cooper.

Yes please. That is all.

Ugg

Living in Florida for four years, I used to make fun of girls who wore Ugg boots. They seemed unnecessary and just silly. Now having lived in Dallas where it apparently likes to snow before it even does in Michigan, I've decided to acquire a pair.

Ladies and gentlemen, I just bought my first pair of Ugg boots. I have no money to be doing this -- but they are awesome.

National Soup Day

It's National Soup Day! Yay!

... Wait, you didn't know that? Well, neither did I.

Seeing as the temperatures have been hitting into the 20's lately, soup has been my ultimate lunch BFF. It is the perfect mid-day pick me up, and I seriously cannot get sick of it (currently jinxing myself.)

As I'm sure many of y'all know, I'm a vegetarian, so finding vegetarian soup options (i.e. no chicken broth) are few and far between. But, I have found one brand that is ridiculously amazing -- one that both veg-heads & carnivores can love equally: Amy's Organic.

This brilliant, vegetarian-friendly company does WAY more than soups, but this is by far my favorite of their product offerings. They are super filling, and VERY nutritious (and of course, great-tasting!)

Here are some of my favorites that I think you should try:

Lentil Vegetable

Low-fat Minestrone

Low-fat Black Bean Vegetable

My #1 choice is the black bean -- just add a little chili flakes and you are set.

Happy Soup Day!!

Diamonds may be a girls' best friend ..

.. but the gym, tanning, pedi, massage from bf & fro-yo will do just fine for tonight ;)

It's the little things ..

My sweet boy brought me beautiful pink Gerbera daisies after I had a hard day at work ..

Yeah .. it's the little things.

It's Complicated

.. may be one of my favorite movies I've seen in a LONG time.

I am a little late in reviewing this movie since it came out a while ago, but I still think it is worth discussing!

Well first of all, I LOVE Steve Martin. I mean, really .. LOVE him. I think he is a great comedic actor and you can't help but want to give his character, Adam, a huge hug throughout the entire movie. SO incredibly lovable.

And then there is the genius actress that is Meryl Streep. Can this woman do wrong in a movie? I think not.

Along with Alec Baldwin, you would think those three would control the movie -- I mean, it already is exuding awesomeness with the cast. But if you thought "that's that", then you'd be wrong. The real showsstopper is none other than The Office's John Krasinski. He commands attention and does a phenomenal job (I think better than any other actor in the movie.)

Click below to watch the trailer -- if you haven't seen this movie, you MUST go immediately. I mean it!! :)

It's Complicated

Happy Girl

I apologize for being M.I.A friends. I have had SO much going on between New Year's, Shannon's visit and work!

So I've been told that I am being a "total girl" with my gchat statuses lately. My answer to that: "so what?!" (yes, that's to you, Anna!)

I am in a very happy place in my life and I feel so grateful for everything going on.

So just to give y'all a very short, but sweet post (this is for you, momma):

"When one door of happiness closes, another opens; but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one which has been opened for us." ~ Helen Keller

I hope you all have an amazing day and promise to post something more interesting later!

Shoes.

So it's official. I'm obsessed with shoes.

No, not just ordinary shoes. Extraordinary shoes. Elaborate, eccentric, elegant and edgy shoes. It's almost weird how much I like them. I can't afford half of the styles I like, but I love admiring them.

And I have finally found a site (thanks to my friend Sasha) which caters to my shoe wants and needs .. and you end up spending a fraction of what you normally would!

Behold CutesyGirl.

I am honestly obsessed. I just bought taupe ankle boots from there and have gotten a lot of compliments. And they only cost $30 WITH shipping. Hello!?!? Unheard of!!

With this 20 degree weather we've been having lately, ankle boots have been my jam. So here's a few pairs I have been eyeing and hoping to add to my repertoire very soon (aka once I get paid):

Hook 'Em??

As I'm sure you all realize by now, I am proud to be a Florida Gator!! I bleed orange and blue and absolutely love my alma mater! However by an unfortunate turn of events at the SEC Championship this year, my beloved Gators fell apart and therefore helped send Alabama to the National Championship in Pasadena, California (insert sigh here.)

Tonight on ABC, the Texas Longhorns will face the Alabama Crimson Tide in the 2010 BCS National Championship. Many diehard SEC fans think one should support 'Bama in their quest for the title. I think otherwise. Does anyone forrget that traitor Nick Saban leaving LSU and having a 'change of heart' to return for Alabama? I don't. Who wants to see a program led by him thrive? Again, not me. Also living in Dallas and hanging out with numerous Longhorn faithful doesn't really help the situation.

To confirm my decision to wear burnt orange, I consulted someone who truly understands football and is a genius at predicting any game's outcome -- Bruno the Orangutan. Friends, he picked Texas -- why shouldn't we?

And so for tonight and tonight only, I will say -- HOOK 'EM HORNS.

Chicken Tetrazzini

Yeah. I said Chicken Tetrazzini.

Not my most riveting post .. but it's been the butt of all Shannon and my jokes this week. Promise to write more once she heads back to Florida but until then .. enjoy.

Snikka Boo.

Sorry that I've been in M.I.A but I've been busy with a very fantastic start to 2010!! I hope you had an amazing NYE!!

First of all, my Florida Gators annihilated Cincinnati in the Allstate Sugar Bowl. It was a great send-off for Tim Tebow and the rest of the super senior class that we were blessed with having. Gator Football will surely not be the same without all of them!! But at least Urban Meyer has decided to supposedly return in August (and I know all of Gator Nation is hoping that he is relaxed/recovered by then.)

Secondly, one of my best friends in the world is coming to visit me in Dallas today -- Miss Shannon O'Brien (click the link to follow her on Twitter -- shamless plug.) We are bound to have a great time because, I mean, it's us we're talking about here.

Resolutions post is coming soon .. but my apartment looks like it was struck by a tornado so I'm going to clean/stalk on Facebook.