We started out our night as Scoozi!, a fantastic Italian place that had the best prosciutto and gnocchi ever. Somehow while eating all this very delicious food, our conversation got shifted to boxed mac and cheese (preferably of the shaped variety) and we talked about it for a good 10 minutes. And it wasn’t even me who brought it up! But I definitely contributed because obviously I have Very Strong Opinions on mac and cheese. I think everyone knows that by now.

Finishing dinner, we walked out the door to find our car. What? OH THAT’S JUST OUR LIMO. We piled inside and rolled up to Trader Joe, obviously. We had to stock up our limo bar with drinks! Two of my lovely guests, Renee and Maggie, headed back home for the night after that but they definitely got a little limo action in there since we drove them to their destinations.

Maggie, Stacey and Renee in our limo

After declaring that I found that Ke$ha broad incredibly annoying and discussing whether pterodactyls are really dinosaurs, we headed to Redhead Piano Bar. We were officially about 20 years too young for this place especially when made our way toward the piano and  tried to request Bad Romance. If you guessed he didn’t play it, you’re the winner! We also found a Marilyn Monroe wannabe looking lady but it kind of came off more like Anna Nicole Smith and she kept following us around the bar. We tried to get a picture of her especially after she put on this hideous long fur coat. It was creepy/hilarious.

lots and lots of print going on

We hopped back in our limo and still had a little bit of time left with the car so we just drove around, tapped out our bar and had a limo dance party. If you were in the River North area Saturday night and caught a glimpse of a car full of slightly obnoxious girls, OH HI NICE TO SEE YOU TOO.

Suz and Leah making calls from our bad ass car phone.

We bid our driver adieu and hopped out at Streeters for a couple more drinks. Leah and Suz told the dj it was my birthday and requested he play Tik Tok. I love that I went from omg I hate this bitch to THIS IS MY SHIT in the time span of three hours. Yes, it was that kind of night.

I’m assuming this is where I was talking pedicures on my toes, toes and trying on all my clothes, clothes

It was an absolutely fantastic night. Thanks so much to my guests who made it out. Those who couldn’t, you were truly missed. And most of all thank you to Dove Visibly Smooth for helping my friends and I have a delightfully epic night on the town!

And since you all couldn’t be there to grab your own to try, if you comment on this post I’ll automatically enter you to win one of five (5) sticks of Dove Visibly Smooth for yourself. I’ll choose winners next Monday. Yay!

P.S. The thing I love and hate about Twitter*, is that I can fill myself in on all the bad decisions I made the previous night. Along with text messages, I realized exactly why I felt so shitty the next morning. I mean, I DRANK MILLER LITE. I can count on both hands all the times I’ve drank beer before let alone Miller Lite.

P.P.S. If you search #DoveGNO you can see most of our tweets from the evening as well as Tara’s party that was going on in LA at the same time.

P.P.P.S. For the record, I definitely did not wake up Sunday morning feeling like PDiddy.

(DISCLOSURE: To participate in the Dove Visibly Smooth VIP program, I was provided with five (5) product samples to giveaway on my blog as well as ten (10) product samples for my guests, car service and compensation for dinner out with my friends. Dove provided me with these items so I could organize the event myself and without any influence from Dove.)

That has now been fixed and I will be rocking my new Brandy scarf on Wednesdays forever more. Thanks for the brightest, pinkest scarf in Canada, lady.

I love you to pieces.

#onwednedayswewearpink

My name is brandy. And I have a blog.

And a plea.

I use my blog to showcase the crazy I meet everyday, share the stories of the kids I teach and document my love for tequila, dairy products and the abdominal muscles of Ryan Reynolds. Rarely do I talk about personal issues on my blog- as personal as the dude that I adore (who I actually met through my blog- single ladies, let that be a very good reason to blog, the possibility of meeting someone as wonderful as my man), but I need your help. And it involves my dude.

He’s a guy who made math comics for my class, so they would love learning about addition. He’s the kinda guy who sends my friends gift cards when they are having hard times, who remembers every story I ever told him, who was the first person I celebrated with when I got a teaching job. He’s the guy who sent flowers to me at school- dozens of my favourite pink roses just because he loves me. He’s a guy who has spent a year patiently explaining (and re-explaining) everything there is to know about football during the important games when silence is preferred. He’s made me word puzzles and comics and stayed up late playing Scrabble with me (even though I beat him almost every time). He’s listened to me cry about school and family and jobs. He is everything I never knew I needed and everything I always knew I wanted.

The holidays have hit us hard. He’s recently been told he may have something called multiple myeloma- an incurable cancer, that gives a person an average of five years of continued life. Though this news has came as a shock, he continues to be exactly who has always been- spending his time worrying about me, rather than worrying about himself. He’s the most selfless individual I know- (he stayed late on Christmas Eve to work, so his co-workers could leave early) and a post like this would never be something that he would promote or encourage but when I’m overwhelmed and feeling helpless, the blogging community has always given me tremendous support and comfort, two things I desperately need at this time.

As I write this, the future is uncertain and we aren’t sure what’s happening. He’ll need to see an oncologist soon, to verify what’s going on in his body. My hope is that everyone who reads this think positive thoughts and if you are a person who prays, could you add him to your list? (You can refer to him as ‘brandy’s hot awesome dude’). If you don’t pray, please keep him in your heart.This cancer is only a possibility and I believe that the prayers and positive thoughts of people can make sure it never becomes a reality.

I want to give a big thank you to the blog owner who scraped their original blog plans and graciously put this up. My goal is to get as many people as possible to see and read this post. If you are reading this and want to help, copy and paste my plea into your blog or send a link through twitter, so more people can keep him in their thoughts. I would be so very grateful (even more grateful than I am to my friend who first showed me the picture of Ryan Reynolds on the cover of Entertainment Weekly. If you haven’t seen it, google it. You. Are. Welcome).

I realize this all sounds dramatic, a Lifetime movie in the making- but this is life. Right now. And I’m throwing away any hint of ego and am humbly asking for you to pray or think kind thoughts. If you are able to pass this on, thank you and if you know anything regarding MM- please email me (my email is on my blog). This isn’t a call for sympathy or a plea for pity. It’s just one girl hoping you can think positive thoughts for the person she adores. If my current heartache provides you with anything, let it be with the reminder that life is short, love is unbending and no one knows what could happen next. Maybe it is silly, but I really do believe that positive thoughts can make a huge difference. Thank you for reading this and if you haven’t already? Please tell someone you love them today.

I did.

A diamond encrusted toothbrush that allows me to sparkle while brushing my teeth, well sparkle if I wasn’t planning on placing it in a glass case on a satin pillow for all the world to admire and be jealous* that they don’t have a blinged out toothbrush.

Thanks to the lovely, Shaba! No gift will ever compare.

Do you think there is a market on Etsy for diamond encrusted toothbrushes? Just throw Twilight and Edward in the tags and you’ll make millions.

* except for Brandy. Our toothbrushes were separated at blinging**.
** do people still say blinging? I kind of hope not. Bedazzling? Let’s go with bedazzling.

I don’t even really know where to begin in talking about this trip because it still doesn’t feel like it really happened. I’ll update again with some photos once I steal some from people.

Highlights:

Two Chicago girls and myself hopped on a plane to Vegas.

Add 1 lovely and stylish Canadian blogger to this room and you have the perfect roommate situation.

Walk 22 bloggers deep down to Caesar’s Palace where they are having dinner.

Tear yourself away from conversation with a Mr. 5280 about how there is no vagina at the buffet.

(What?)

Then off to see LOVE (full review soon!) followed up by a frozen hot chocolate from Serendipity 3.

The next morning, sleep late and hit the pool. Sneak in your favorite Katelin and her fiancee, Matt (who is so awesome). 

Next up is lunch (at 5PM, obviously) in the Venetian at San Marco Enoteca. Smashed potatoes, four cheese pizza and homemade peach gelato? Do you even need me to say how good that was?

Happy hour at Zefferino with everyone. This is where I proceeded to have a lot of wine and got a bit drunk.

People love Edie.

100 high fives.

One drunk phone call later talking about “OMG there are fucking dolphins!”, the Montecito, dudes who fall off 2 story escalators and my DJ cred. (the inspiration for this title obviously)

Waking up to early the next day and hitting the pennies with the lovely E.P.

Then said goodbye to most of my new IRL friends. That was much harder than I thought it would be.

A delicious champagne brunch buffet at the Bellagio with the girls, Katelin and Matt.

Then capping off a Vegas trip later that night with dinner at Stack in the Mirage with Amanda. Truffled penne pasta, tomato soup and grilled cheese and creme brulee? Fixed price menus are awesome.

26  people who just so happen to meet on the internets take over Las Vegas and there are no serial killers, train wrecks or drama?

I’m going to call that a success. 

P.S. This was probably the most amazing weekend ever. I loved everyone I got to meet and cannot wait for us to all get together again. Because let’s face it? We will be getting together again soon. It just has to happen.

P.P.S. Vegas > Chicago.

Even at 25 21 years old, I can’t explain the feeling that initial walk down Main Street and first setting eyes on Cinderella’s castle gives me. (sorry for the dark iPhone photo, it had just finished raining as well)

It also never fails to make me feel like I was jipped out of my childhood. I never got run around Disney World dressed up as a princess like all the little girls I seen this past weekend. Damn it, I want a princess dress and I want it now!

(Halloween 2009: I’m stuffing my ass into a pink Sleeping Beauty dress. Princess party, bitches!)

The following day was Universal Studios. We crammed both parks in one day which was either incredible stupid or incredibly smart. Let’s just go with smart though, okay? I geeked out a bunch over the signs that boasted of Harry Potter’s theme park being built. You couldn’t see anything because everything was blocked off but I sure as hell tried while we flying around upside down on Dueling Dragons. Rollercoaster are high up so I figured I could sneak a glimpse. Too bad I forgot to factor in the upside down loops, going a million miles an hour and screaming my face off thing.

(I will be there when it finally opens in 2010 nerding out hardcore.)

That night we met up with Lauren and Alexis, as well as a couple of Jenn’s friends, for dinner at some Latin place on CityWalk. The food was kind of bland but there was great company and Alexis and I narrated the cheesy Spanish music videos that were distracting us while we were suppose to be mingling, then the fajitas set off the fire sirens and we left only to stumble across this:

Yes, that is a group of eight people with a balloon hat. And yes, you read that right HAT. An eight person balloon hat and all eight of those people were getting down to the live band that was playing.

Together. In their balloon hat. Connected. Eight people.

What is wrong with life?

But I will say seeing that kind of made up for the fact that our visit with them was so short.

(I wish you could submit photos to Fmylife.com, except in this case it would be this picture with FYL (fYOURlife) because you look like a goddamn fool.)

P.S. Going from 90 degree weather to 30 degree slushy snow in the same day really is depressing. Things like that should be illegal.

P.P.S. A million thanks to my guest bloggers: Tia, Alexa and Jess. You all are the bestest ever!

I went to New York on Tuesday for the day. Wondered why there was garbage everywhere. Learned New York doesn’t have alleys (weird!). Ate in an Italian joint that felt like a movie with all the Italian dudes talking business in a corner table with their laptop and fancy water out. I hailed cabs unsuccessfully and walked around aimlessly in heels because I had no idea where I was. Mixed and mingled at Mashable’s NextUpNYC event. Drank wine and ate popcorn because I’m classy like that. Met up with some fabulous New York ladies and showed them how awkward I really am in real life. Missed out on meeting some of my absolute favorites. Ate a horribly overpriced burger and french fries you could taste the grease in at the airport. Proceeded to feel sick all day from it. Learned never to eat at Cheeburger Cheeburger again. Watched 3 episodes of The Dog Whisper on the flight home because Jet Blue rules with the tvs in the headrests.

I can’t wait to go back. And hey, I was only in New York for one day so just imagine what can happen when I get back there?

Then I came back home to reality. I’m not a fan of it these days.

I much prefer the jetset life. You don’t have time to think that way.

It all came rushing back as soon as I got home. I’m trying to do the right thing but I don’t know what the right thing is. I try following advice but then run back screaming in the other direction after trying because it hurts too much. I feel like people will judge me for the decisions I make and how I choose to deal with things. When that happens, I go back to my best friend who is the one everyone is telling me I need to stay away from. But he’s the only one who gets it.

I’m still trying to figure it all out.

(Please try not to be all Judgey McJudgerson in your comments because I KNOW you think I’m being stupid and this isn’t how I should do things)

I am Michelle Woo of the cleverly titled blog Michelle Woo and in today’s issue of Photo Scanner Fun, I have a somewhat embarrassing confession to make.

I used to do musicals.

Me (center), age 14, in “No, No, Nanette” at my high school. I look so cool.

Growing up, musical theater was my main extracurricular. When I was in elementary school, my parents had me audition for a local song and dance company as 1) they hoped it might help me break out of my shell and 2) I couldn’t throw/hit/kick/catch a ball to save my life. So in front of a panel of note-taking grownups, I sang a shaky “Somewhere Out There,” somehow made the cut, and thus began a life of sequins, red lipstick and jazz hands.

I performed in shows like “Bye Bye Birdie,” the musical rendition of The Hobbit (no joke), and even “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” with the Young and Restless’ Michael Damian and the Broadway cast. I was never the lead or anything, thank goodness. I was always more than content doing heel-step-shuffle-ball-changes and singing my “Ooooh, oooh, ooohs” as part of the ensemble. (Although in “Once Upon a Mattress,” I did get to recite SEVEN WHOLE WORDS as Princess #12. Thank you, thank you. No pictures, please.)

While this was strictly a childhood hobby (shoot me if I ever do adult community theater), I do kind of miss that old life — the delirious late-night rehearsals, the adrenaline, the standing ovations (from my parents). Every now and then, in the car or in the kitchen, my sister and I will spontaneously belt out obscure Broadway show tunes and pretend we’re on the big stage. It’s fun.

So there’s my confession.

Did you ever do musicals? Wish you did musicals? Watch musicals? Make fun of the kids who did musicals? Spill!

Also it is apparently Delurking Day or something so delurk and say hi. I promise we are all nice here!

***

In winter there seems to be more time for dreamy flipping through fashion magazines or vegan cupcake cook books, which means more time for blogs – and my top indulgences are design and street style blogs. I am full on and wholly addicted.

Where I live in Canada, between Toronto and Vancouver, the winter lasts from November to April and is routinely well below the -30°C (-22°F!) mark which means a significant amount of time spent indoors. This year is also the first year that I’ve owned a PVR which has opened a world of TV to me that I couldn’t be bothered to watch before…..suddenly America’s Next Top Model has entered our home.

The word fierce has new meaning! There are more (albeit less political) girls from Alaska! There are hormone injections and
underwater shoots! But between the winter weather, street style blogs, and Top Models I’m feeling all together fashionably sub par this winter.

So in continuation of Jamie’s major fashion offenses, I give you 5 major fashion offenses I have committed in The Great White Canadian Winter. Because sometimes when you have frostbite, you just can’t think straight. And sometimes it’s more important to be warm than to look good.

The Crimes:

1. Painting my nails in pastel, because while the light blue OPI that I own looked edgy in the summer, but it really draws attention to how pale I am in January.

2. Layering with more than one sweater and compensating for massive heat loss due to wearing leggings when I should be wearing snow pants by wearing black long johns under black tights. It keeps the heat in!

3. Wearing snow pants over my skinny jeans. I’m still going to wear skinny jeans even though I’m cold and the internet tells me I shouldn’t! I’m just not going to freeze. Snow pants are cool when you live 8 hours north of Minneapolis, it’s a fact.

4. Rocking oversized men’s flannel and skinny belts. It’s warm. And with ankle boots it can be fierce. Or at least warm & tall. I’m not apologizing for this one.

5. Watching my co-workers squirm while trying to choose their words when complementing my new sweater. Because it’s not a sweater, it’s a pancho. (Don’t worry, I didn’t wear it with tights to work!)

It can be near impossible to look pulled together when you’re staving off frostbite and static electricity – what winter faux pas have you given up on avoiding while there’s snow on the ground?

Yup.

Her blog is Style Rookie. Check it out.