Just a Bunch of Hocus Pocos

HAPPY HALLOWEEN! 

After all the build up, I can't believe it is finally here. I am currently sitting at the office in my watermelon costume hyped up on sugar and spirit. The office is decorated, the candy is out, and the productivity is at an all-time low. It is just the best! 

There really is nothing better than a good holiday, except maybe the night before. The excitement and anticipation of what's to come... It is all pretty magical. Last night certainly didn't disappoint. For starters, I crossed off one of my favorite checklist items... Watching Hocus Pocus! 

 Spoiler alert, Halloweentown is like IMPOSSIBLE to find, so I will have to save that for next year.

As the movie played, I cooked my roommate and I a Halloween Eve Feast: Brussel Sprouts, Scallops, Sweet Potatoes, and Steak! We ended the night by the fire, surrounded by candles as we watched an episode of Stranger Things 2. It truly was the perfect way to celebrate the eve of one of my favorite holidays. 

Cheers to... Holiday Cheer!

Halloweekend 2017

Happy Halloween Eve! 

As per the usual, I couldn't wait to start celebrating. Lucky for me, a festive party on Saturday was the perfect excuse. Unfortunately, my costume game wasn't on point this year... But thanks to my trusty hot glue gun, I whipped together a watermelon costume the morning of and called it a day.

I headed to the party early to help Bri set up. So cute, right!?

Sadly my "be early to the party and drink up as guests arrived" plan didn't exactly pan out. Someone needed me to saran wrap them into a make shift box for a photo shoot... So I ran home and took care of business before the party started.

#worthit

The party was perfect. A little backyard bon fire with all the pizza, snack, and boos we could dream of. After getting good and liquored up, we hit the breweries for a little bar crawl. I have been trying to avoid beer lately, so Chris and I poured a few vodka sodas to go and made a few extra stops along the way.


The evening ended at my favorite dive bar where I enjoyed karaoke & good company.

Cheers to festive fun and thirsty witches.   

You Stay Classy, San Diego

So much for a low key fall! Although I love the idea of staying in Seattle for a while, I can't pass down a good vacay! 

Hours after our 10 year class reunion ended (3 hours to be exact) I was headed to the airport for a quick trip to Cali. I hadn't been to San Diego since I was 8, and a friend's birthday seemed like a perfect opportunity to explore the city. 

I landed bright and early Sunday morning and was greeted with a home cooked breakfast and lots of friendly faces. We decided the best way to start the vacation was a trip downtown for bottomless mimosas. Kyle, our waiter and new BFF, hooked us up. Each time he refilled, he brought us an extra bottle (which we had to hide from his manager) and a small cup of juice to add to the champagne. Kyle, you da real MVP. 

As quickly as we arrived, we headed out to explore the area. We found a few fun places to grab more drinks and ended at an awesome rooftop bar which overlooked Padres stadium.

After a handful of drinks on the roof, we decided to grab a few bottles of wine and head back to the beach house for the night. We ordered ramen and gathered around a fire which was all totally unnecessary due to the weather, but a blast just the same. Although we all agreed we had enough booze to last us the entire trip, we decided we should probably go out since it was my first night in town. We hit up an awesome tap room and ended the night in a dance club. We may have been the only people dancing, but we couldn't have cared less. 

We were all moving a little slow the next morning, and were very appreciative of the breakfast burrito delivery that gave us all life. A few of us headed to the beach while everyone else continued to recover at the house.

By the time we got back from the beach, we were all ready for a nice meal. We headed down to the Gaslamp District where we filled ourselves with happy hour oysters and ended with a beautiful steak dinner at Greystone. We spent the remainder of the evening bar hopping through Gaslamp and ended the night at a hidden tiki bar speakeasy where we rung in Jen's birthday with ALL the shots at midnight. 

Tuesday was not only Jen's birthday, but also our last day in SD. We started off with a mountain of Filipino food at Tito's then headed to the Mexico border just so we could say we'd been. Next, birthday girl wanted more oysters & we all happily obliged. Next on her list, tacos! I swear... All we did was eat that day. We decided to get the authentic cuisine to go, and headed to Old Town San Diego where we feasted on tongue and beef head tacos at a little picnic table in the middle of the park. We enjoyed a little walk around the shops and landed at a bar where we filled ourselves with all the tequila we could bear. 

It wouldn't have been a vacation without a few basic pics, so we headed to the beach to enjoy our last sunset.

Then, it was homeward bound for an incredible seafood boil! 

I don't think I had ever been that full in my life, but it was totally worth it. We decided to end the trip at the house. We drank and played games until we couldn't keep our eyes open. 

The trip was short, sweet, and truly unforgettable. 

Cheers to 103 degrees & revisiting summer for a few days. 

10 Year Class Reunion

Over the weekend we celebrated being out of high school for ten whole years, and let me tell you, it gave me ALL the feels. 

We kicked Friday night off by inviting classmates and their families to attend our Homecoming football game. While the turn-out was light due to the weather, the memories it brought back were heavy. As I walked around the track, I was greeted by the same families that had been there for years. Elementary school kids were still running around nearly hitting me with every uncoordinated throw of the football. Early relationships were blooming through the awkward teenage years as they subtly held hands and playfully pushed one another in the stands. When the fight song began to play, I sung every single word as I took in every memory it brought back. Part of me felt like nothing had changed and I was transported back to the nervous excitement I felt every Friday night... Cheering on my boys, socializing in the stands, and looking forward to the "after party" which would surely follow. I adored every nostalgic moment of the game... Even if we did lose to our stark rivals. 

The next day was spent bustling around to prepare for the big event. Photo printing, year book gathering, shopping, getting ready... Tayla and I were on the move from the moment we woke up. We arrived just in time to decorate the venue and crack open a bottle of wine before the guests arrived.

Let me just say, that bottle of wine was a game changer! At the end of a wine tour of Napa and Sonoma a few years ago, my drunk ass sprung for a 2007 bottle of Cab that I just had to have. I decided to save it for the occasion and it was totallyworth the wait. What a treat!

Our classmates slowly started trickling in, and before we knew it the space was filled with old friends, laughter, & lots of liquor. I can't even begin to explain how wonderful the evening was. There is something so special about the people you grew up with. Sure, I have lost contact with most of them, but at the end of the day we share an unforgettable bond. They know who I was when I got that shitty haircut in elementary school or slipped and fell in the school cafeteria. They know my parents and spent as much time at my house as I did. They shared the joy of the 32-30 homecoming victory over Warrenton, and held me through the loss of friends and family as the time passed. We shared the awkward middle school years and the self discovering high school moments. In a town as small as Rainier, there is little to do aside from connect with the people around you. The reunion brought back so many incredible memories and made me forever grateful for my small town roots.

I think our class motto says it best: 

The memories we shared,
the times we had together;
they will stay with us,
goodbye is not forever. 

Cheers to old friends making new memories!

Fall Playlist

Are we sensing a theme here? I am obviously still loving all things fall over here! 

One of my favorite ways to celebrate a season is with a new playlist. Thus, I give you my "Fall Favorites" which have been blasting on repeat since September 1st:

Wagon Wheel | Darius Rucker

The A Team | Ed Sheeran

Autumn Leaves | Ed Sheeran

Hallelujah | Jeff Buckley

Gravity | Tyrone Wells

Slow Dancing in a Burning Room | John Mayer

Ho Hey | The Lumineers

Bloom | The Paper Kites

Thinking Out Loud | Ed Sheeran

All of Me | John Legend

Snapback | Old Dominion

80s Mercedes | Maren Morris

My Church | Maren Morris

Die a Happy Man | Thomas Rhett

Piano Man | Billy Joel

Jack & Diane | John Mellencamp

Indian Summer | Brooks & Dunn

Sadie Hawkins Dance | Relient K

When a Man Loves a Woman | Percy Sledge

This playlist is such of fun mix of festive & nostalgic songs which instantly put me in the spirit of the season! I can't wait to spend the next three hours on a train trying not to belt Indian Summer at the top of my lungs.

Happy Friday, All! Cheers to the freakin' weekend. 

Fall Fairytale

Guys, although I am admittedly failing at the fall checklist, I am loving every second of this season. The fun festivities, the mostly awesome weather, the killer colors, and pumpkin EVERYTHING... I seriously can't get enough.

So far I've filled it with a few sweet weddings, way too many nights out, a throwback concert, glow in the dark kickball (3-0... NBD), and lots of cozy evenings by the fire surrounded by candles & good company. 

Although I've been slacking on the list, I managed to cross off a few crucial items.

 

 

 If you're ever looking to drink too many beers out of boots, wear the world's most ridiculous costumes, and have a hangover lasting days... Have I got the place for you! 

I can't remember the last time the whole fam went to the pumpkin patch together. Such a special trip for all of us, even Baby Chlo who spent most of it throwing up due to a few too many vodka sodas the night before.

It is crazy how quickly this month has flown by, and there is so much more I want to do... But for now, this will have to do!

Cheers!