Werking Girl

Do you guys want to know what my “real” job is (since I don’t think I’m fooling anyone that Keeley Kraft isn’t quite bringing home the bacon for me just yet)?  Well, whether you do or you don't, I'ma gonna tell you:  I work at a vacation rental company with my dad and my cousin.  We rent out five-star luxury timeshare-like condo suites, called fractionals.  Not bad, eh?  (To answer your questions in advance, yes, I have had the opportunity to stay in some of them and yes, I liked it).  Our company is called Travel En Vogue and you should mos def check us out at our online address: http://travelenvogue.com.   

Everything is going grand with it EXCEPT for one little detail: my job duties have been dwindling for the past year and a half or so (which was partly the reason I went to Uganda for four months) This dwindling act is occurring mostly as a result of me helping to turn the company into a lean mean fighting machine!  (This isn't an insider trading style secret being revealed here, the company is still in peak financial health, for your information).   So, now I am at kind of a crossroads and am looking towards a new direction for my big-girl “career” life.  Curtain unveil: Real Estate Development.  Sounds all big and fancy, don’t it? 

Lurve this movie and need those glasses.

Well it certainly is, although I really don't know too much about it... yet.  But you can bet your bottom dollar that won't last long and here's why:  My dad's main profession is that of a real-live real estate contractor/developer.  Now ain't that convenient?!   And, he is currently in the process of building his last commercial industrial building before he retires from the construction game.  So, on a bit of a whim, I decided to take advantage of his VAST amount of knowledge on the subject and jump on an opportunity when I see one (that's Real Estate 101, right?)  What that means for me exactly is that I am currently in Colorado, where my dad is building his building with his crew.  Basically, I am going through a sort of "training camp."  Personal reveal:  I love building things and "getting my hands dirty" literally.  I love construction work and have found it difficult to pursue on a large scale as a “ladyfolk,” so I am very grateful and excited about this opportunity as a result.  So be prepared for more posts related to my daily training as I will be at camp for roughly 2-3 weeks per month until the building is completed in (fingers crossed) April '14 and when I will officially graduate to "handywoman" status.  (For those of you who care, I will be returning to the City of Angels during the interim weeks each month).

Hell yeah we can do it!

Quick topical tangent: I'm also hoping to be ripped by the end of this month's tenure and come back to Cali cut like a pro-athlete.  An update on that will follow if and ONLY IF that looks as if it's actually going to happen.   

So, in conclusion, add construction to the growing list of all things random that this blog delves into.  Also, the first day of my "semester" began today and after hands-down the most exhausting day of work I have had to date, I am about to log some zzz's.  Nighty night!

Fat Amy Frenzy

Gotcha! I bet you all thought I wasn't going to post anything but you were wrong.. I got this post in before the stroke of midnight where I'm at in the world right now and it's out of nothing but love for ALL you loyal readers.. I know you were just waiting with baited breath for me to return to the blogosphere after the long weekend and regale you with stories of my celebrations.. And ladies and gentlemen, I am not here to disappoint. Albeit brief, (because I am writing to you from my sick bed) I need to share some cray cray news with you all. And you probably won't believe me but y'all, I tell no lie.

Don't be caught wearing anything akin to this from here on out now, ya hear?!

This weekend was the epically awaited bachelorette party and epic it sure was!   All the usual Bach shenanigans went down and then some but that is another post in and of itself.  All you need to know for this post are two things:

1. Read THIS before reading further
2. I was not able to pull off the aforementioned mission for the party ;(
3. The bachelorette's mom came wine tasting (in Santa Ynez, California) with the group on Saturday.  After wine tasting, the mother-of-the-bride-to-be went up to Ojai, CA (about 30 min from where we were staying) for a wedding the following day.  Fast forward to approximately noon the next day (Sunday) when my fran's mom is in the quiet room at the spa (sidenote: don't go to ojai and not go to the spa) and sitting right behind her is none other than FAT AMY (for those of you who haven't seen Pitch Perfect, shame on you! But also, Rebel Wilson, plays "Fat Amy" in the flick).  Yeah. I am choosing to believe it was not mere coincidence.

Out of respect for the STAR, the bachelorette's mother did not approach Miss Wilson (I can't say I would have been as respectful had it be me in the situation... And I also can't say I wasn't considering driving up there myself as part of a last ditch effort) but all of that aside, I think the universe aligned to transitively have The Rebel Wilson be loosely part of the weddinh activities, by association, if nothing else.  Hell to the yeah!

And on that note, I must tell you all good night because yes, I am going to bed right now.  I will explain more tomorrow. XOXO

Step Into A Slim Aarons

As I mentioned yesterday, I've been scramblin' get my sh*t done before I depart town and head to the Ventura + Santa Barbara, CA area, where I will be helping to celebrate the "final fling before the ring" for one of my BFFs (for those wondering - yes, this is the Rebel Wilson bride-to-be fan and sadly, no, I do not think she will be in attendance (terrrs).  If you're just tuning in, find out what the hell I'm talking about, here).   

I was THIS close to taking the cop-out route for my post today = just giving you a pretty photo, wishing you a happy labor day and sending you on your way and then I thought, WAIT.  I can bust out a quick post and give my readers some knowledge while I'm at it. WIN-WIN.  So here it is:

Hands down, my all-time favorite photographer is this guy named: Slim Aarons.  His photos are super retro, incredibly fun and gorgeous and in most cases, you're questioning if it actually is a photograph.  The dude's prints are outta-this-world pimpin'.  Allow me to show you what I mean:

 "Yes, I will go for a drive with you in your Amphicar"

This one is called "Keep Your Cool." Double meaning, check.

What an office!

JUST ONCE, I want to sip champagne from a classy champagne bucket, poolside.

The guy epitomizes what “summer” means, don’t you think?

The above is my current FB Cover Photo, for any readers that are not my FB friends (are there any of those?).  Today my mom told me she thought that was me in the hammock.  I’m flattered Mom, I really am! 

Excuse me, Sir, have you seen my monocle lately?

Fun Fact: At 18 years old, Mr. Aarons enlisted in the U.S. Army and worked as a photographer at West Point.  He later served as a combat photographer in World War II and earned a Purple Heart.  Aarons said combat had taught him the only beach worth landing on was "decorated with beautiful, seminude girls tanning in a tranquil sun.”  Now you can’t argue with that!

Hello Ladies!

This one is called “Sundowner.” Perfection.

"Another round of a sundowner, ladies?"  Sure, why not?

Rawr.

These are not even close to all of his infamous prints and I strongly encourage you to look into his photos further because they are simply, AMAZING.  They really make me wish I was in my 20’s-30’s during the 50’s. 

Now don’t you just want to step into any of those?  Yeah you do!   

Ok party people, have a great weekend + holiday and I'll catch y'all on Tuesday (since you know I ain't laboring on Labor Day!)  

Nutellin' Me!

Today I am feeling stressed by the need to get everything done before I head out of town this weekend.  And apparently my post topic for today is indicative of that.  When I’m stressed I medicate with this thing called: Sugar.  But since there’s not enough content to write a post about how to go to the grocery store and buy a pint of Ben and Jerry’s Cookie Dough Ice Cream (just as an example, of course).  I’m going to tell you about the tastiest combination ever. Which requires very little prep and a controversial condiment, making it perfect for concocting something divine before the guilt creeps in (not that I’m speaking from experience or anything..).

Here it goes:

• Pita Bread  
• Bananas (which I learned today are good for nerves, hangovers, depression, PMS, anemia, heartburn, ulcers, morning sickness and also, MOSQUITO BITES – rub the infected area with the inside of a banana skin )
• Peanut Butter
• Nutella

So, you make a sandwich using the pita bread as the toasts.  Spread the PB on one side, the Nutella hazelnut-chocolate-heaven on the other, slice up a banana to add to it and grill/press the sandwich like a Panini.  And then try not to eat so much that your stomach hurts after. 

It’s all very complicated but hopefully this in-depth tutorial will help.  Can you tell that I’m quite the chef at my house?

I’ve been addicted to this stuff at several points in my life and I’m starting to see the writing on the wall that my life is probably headed in that direction again.  What can I say?  The shit is bananas… B-A-N-A-N-A!

So, if you’re feeling mads about me informing you about this delicious goodness, well, don’be (don’t worry, I get it, I am often met with mixed feelings of euphoria and rage when people tell me about new desserts too).  But in this case, I’m also here today to tell you about Prancercise (created by Joanna Rohrback of Prancercise, LLC) which is sure to burn off all of those calories with the most awkward/questionably seductive workout I’ve seen to date:

It’s probably going to take the nation by storm any day now.  PLEASE have a go at it and tell me how it goes!

I personally, am off to stuff myself silly with Nutella and the gang of ingredients.     

Napster Wedding

We knew Sean Parker had a pulse on what was up in the interwebs world but did anyone ever expect that he would have a hand in creating the most gorgeous and insane wedding my virgin eyes have ever laid eyes on?  I stumbled across pics of the Napster founder and Facebook "mentor" mogul's wedding last night and my wedding expectations haven't been the same since.  I'm ruined, y'all!  Honestly, this wedding was so nuts, I think even dudes will appreciate it.  Before I reveal these splendid photos I first want to give you a sense of the scale of this grandiose event: Each of the 364 guests had costumes designed by the costume designer from The Lord of the Rings, Ngila Dickson. I mean, whtiahfhasfkjhg?!

So with that in mind, please view the cinematographic-level wedding of Sean Parker and Alexandra Lenas which took place in Big Sur, California on the grounds of the Ventana Inn & Spa, which is nestled in an ecologically sensitive area of Big Sur.   

The wedding cost around $10 million (chump change, if you ask me..).   

When locals from the area heard about the upcoming extravagant affair and the plans for construction, they notified the California Coastal Commission who reached a financial settlement with Seany boy, to the tune of $2.5 million dollars.  This small sum is to be allocated towards purchasing public easements and hiking trails in the Big Sur area and as grants for nonprofits doing conservation projects.  In addition, the internet boy genius offered to develop a mobile app that will help the public to identify areas where they can access the coast.  A mobile app? Shocker!  (But in all seriousness, does anyone know what that app is going to be called, because I kind of want to download it?)

Mr. Parker also hired a designer from The Lord Of The Rings franchise to create several large-scale set pieces for the ceremony, of which included: fake ruins, staircases, and a stream filled with threatened steelhead trout (because if that's not a necessary part of exchanging vows, I don't know what is..)  

I would die for just ONE of those chairs.  I'm not really sure if I'm disgusted or impressed by the amount of money spent on this event but mostly I'm just pissed that the mailman misplaced my invitation! The one time...!

Photos courtesy of Vanity Fair.