The Month of May

HELLO!

My apologies for neglecting you, my HSCOOC, but the month of May has been a totes cray cray obv. 

There's been dating, a Quinceanera celebrating 15 years of Scream Agency, the finale of the Voice, the premiere of the Bachelorette and then a Bachelorette party IRL for my +more who wed her now husband, Scott, on May 19 in Las Vegas.

There's been the beach, a reunion with four of my best girlfriends, kayaking the La Jolla caves in the Pacific, grilling out, eating out, eating In-N-Out, driving from CA to LV, eating blue crabs with Dad and Anne, Cracked Egg with Pep, Sammy's with Benneton (wait, is there an eating theme here?), a night of karaoke at Dino's with Kid Sis, drinks with Austin and Andi, SSFS with Eener and Anika and, of course, a rehearsal dinner and a wedding.

Which was one of the most beautiful days of my life thus far. My +more did an amazing job putting together the wedding of dreams. She looks simply breathtaking in her dress, the groom so handsome, Christopher Walken did a great job marrying them, the kids in the wedding were adorbs, the food delish, the dance floor a ton of fun and then there were the Nothing Bundt Cakes to top it all off.

Oh and did I mention I caught the bouquet?

Nothing could beat the company though, to be surrounded and completely submerged in my nearest and dearest for nine days in May was more than I could have ever asked for.

All to come home to my life in Denver - Sir Gordon and Sienna, work, the Yves Saint Laurent exhibit and brunch date with the girls (complete with dress up), Josh Wickler's birthday, dinner at Linger with Lindsey Jones and Anne and one of two concerts at Red Rocks for this week.

And there ain't no stopping because you know what's next?

June!

Spring Fever

It's spring fever.  That is what the name of it is.  And when you've got it, you want - oh, you don't quite know what it is you do want, but it just fairly makes your heart ache, you want it so!  ~Mark Twain

I came across that quote a few days ago and it just perfectly sums up spring 2012 for me. Pep and Sam came for a visit over Easter weekend. It was complete with full tummies, laughs with the aroma of wine, trips to the Nursery and, of course, an egg hunt.

With two parent weekends back-to-back, I was definitely feeling like a Denver tour guide but was also feeling the love. Spring is such a beautiful time of year in Denver and now that I feel like I really know my city, I am so happy to show it off to those that mean the most to me.

And as the quote says : spring is here and I don't know exactly it is that I do want but whatever it is, I want it so! 

So let's just have fun with it, shall we? Maybe we'll even get a little personal...

Introducing a little side project of HSCOOC and Co. : 100 Percent Match.

A Girl + Her Dad

Last weekend, Carl Knoch came in to town for what was supposed to be a weekend filled with skiing. Thanks to the 80 degree spring days, our weekend turned in to a few hours of skiing and a lot of beer drinking on patios.

We started Friday with a trip to Steuben's followed by a tour and a round of hellos at Scream on our way to REI to pick up some bike supplies. After that, we were mountain bound.

The conditions were what most would refer to as "mashed potatoes" but let me tell you that this girl loved every second of it. Spring skiing takes everything that I hate (see: cold) out of the equation and leaves you with sunshine, beautiful clear skies and views to gasp over.

Andy had come up to meet us for the first part of the day and he was right, by about 2 p.m. - they mountain was no longer "mashed potatoes" and was just straight slush (we actually skied through water on our last run) so we found a deck, loosened our boots and planted our butts with a few Coors Lights (which we both decided, tastes way better at 10,000 feet).

Since nothing but slush welcomed us the next day, we headed back to Denver to enjoy the 80 degree weather how it was meant to be enjoyed - outside, riding bikes to a picnic in a garden. The Denver Botanic Gardens are in bloom a little earlier this year and we took full advantage by enjoying some sandwiches from Snarf's under a shaded tree.

Note to self : Don't go cactus shopping when you need to B-Cycle home.

After somehow surviving that ride home, prick-free, we went to meet the cousins for some dinner before the dreaded drive out to DIA to say goodbye to Dad.

As I've pulled myself up from the mess that was March, I was reminded during this particular visit that, sometimes, we need to just let it go and enjoy some quality time - just a girl and her dad. 

Colorado

Words to live by today and every day for that matter?

"Waiting is the opposite of living." 

Watch the below to see why I moved here. And why I plan to stay.

And why you, you and you should come visit this summer.

London/Paris

This past week I did something that I've always wanted to do.

I booked a trip to London with Chloe. 

We had talked about going for years, always knowing that we would make the best of travel companions (i.e. let's see this and this and this and then drink wine, wait, make that champagne). This spring was supposed to be it, but my +more got engaged and my MOH duties took over traveling abroad.

So we had it set - April 13, 2013. But then, as if the TravelZoo Gods were watching down on me - knowing that I needed something just like this to come through my inbox - I got a SALE announcing Denver to Heathrow, nonstop, roundtrip for $775.

All it took was three emails and one call exchanged for us to have it booked.

November 6 - 14, 2012 I will be in London - oh, and Paris, too! 

I am so ecstatic - this will be my first big travel and it was my goal to do so before age 30.

From the Louvre to Catacombs to Westminster Abbey to Flea Markets to Moulin Rouge to the Eiffel Tower to a night in Soho - the planning has begun.

Google doc and all.

Here's to making it happen!

Sonnie

Some 'spring break' eh?

This deserved a post because I am so lucky to have the friends that I do.

The ones that are close enough in distance to get in their cars and meet me for endless cocktails. 

The ones that answer the phone every single time, even if it's my fifth call of the day.

The ones who talk you down from making an awful, awful decision after the influence of said endless cocktails.

The ones that understand that you'll be back to yourself soon enough.

And, of course, the ones that do all of the above, and would do more if they could - but in the meantime, send a smiling sunflower to brighten your day.

Thank you, Ann. Sonnie will be a constant reminder of how incredibly blessed I am to have people like you (and you, and you) in my life.

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

Spring Equin-off

Ah, March 20 - the first day of spring and the day that everything is equal. Day and night are perfectly in balance. Yet yours truly is not.

Due to a sudden change of events, I'm feeling completely off-balance right now and am taking a little 'spring break' to pick myself up, dust my skirt off and get back up on these two Toms-wearing feet again.

This is the first time in my life that I'm actually allowing myself to not be OK for a minute, embracing it. Figuring out how it can make me better.

But I know it's a fine line so when I reach that tipping point these days, I reference a video that Sean sent me that can't help but put a smile on my face.



After all, I may be missing balance right now but I still believe life should never be lived without laughter. And hopping baby goats. In sweaters.