The Best xo

Look at that face! Are you kidding me? I can't help break out into a big smile whenever I see my Godphew. He just keeps getting cuter and cuter by the day. He's such a character and loves to smile for the camera. He's the best!

And the only thing more awesome than my Godphew is him and my nephew together. He loves being a big brother and taking care of "baby." They're two peas in a pod and I love them both so much!!!!

These tips could save your life

I had to share with you the brilliant writings of my homeslice Lanie. She does that whole "black friday" thing every year and is in the thick of the bargin shopping madness. I admire her for getting up so early, braving the crowds and coming away with some super sweet deals. Here, in her own words, are some tips:

Top 10 things I learned about Black Friday, by Lanie McGill

Yeah, I braved it. I brave it every year it seems, and I also notice that I am getting up earlier and earlier to meet the crowds. It's a little sickening I guess, I notice the gasps and looks of total disbelief that I get from other people when I tell them my shopping plan. This year was no exception, but admist the udder chaos and pandemonium, I took a moment to think about some of the lessons learned during this truly commercial experience.

10. If you aren't a regular shopper, and you don't have a concept of how much an item typically costs, you will get ripped off on Black Friday. Not every sale is truly a sale. Learn this, know this, live by this. If not, don't shop Black Friday!

9. Never let your mom go alone to the electronics department of a store and say "I'll catch up with you later."

8. Carts aren't necessarily used for carrying stuff. They are used for protection and as battering rams to get you safely from one department to the next. No cart? You're on your own, buddy.

7. Just because someone has a pile of electronic devices in their arms, piled up to their chin, does not mean that said items are a "good deal." Even target uses shills people.

6. Having the voucher does not guarantee you shit.

5. Upon waiting in line, it's common for people to get angry when the store runs out of the "free stuff" even though nobody knew they were handing out free stuff until they got in line.

4. Manners and random acts of kindness are a sign of weakness. You will be taken advantage of in every possible way.

3. Typical cart etiquette does not apply. If you leave your cart unattended, your purchases will be picked through and treated as if they were "go backs." Don't expect to return to a full cart.

2. If the store opens at 4am, don't ever think that you can stroll in at 4:08 and assume that you will still be within the first 250 people to receive your free gift card. Sweetheart, they were out of them at 4:01.

And the top 1 thing I learned at Black Friday:
1. Just because it's a good deal doesn't mean you have to buy it. Trust me, the retail gods couldn't care, because if you don't buy it, some other sucker will.

Lexie's Spidey Terror

If you don't like spiders, I'm giving you fair warning that there are two photos below that you're going to want to scroll right past....















Keep going..........









































Ok, here it comes,



This is the spider that was hanging out on the fence in my sisters backyard.






Yes, that a real spider. It was huge! Fi and I encountered one like this many years ago in our backyard, and Fi said it was so big, it was smoking a cigar! Here's another shot of it:


Disgusting, right?

Ok, so my sister has a massive fear of spiders, hates the things. After we go inside and tell her about the one hanging out in her backyard, Luciano pretends he has it in his hand (like he would ever really do that) and freaks her out about it. She starts totally screaming and crying and having a total melt down. Once she calms down, what I showed her was just a photo....and this is her reaction after she's calmed down)

She pretty much freaked out, poor thing. But even when she's screaming in sheer terror, she still looks hot! Sorry Lexie, no more spidey scares, ok?

Buh Bam

Emeril Lagasse is leaving the Food Network. Aparrantly, contract negotiations is the result and the last day of production for Emeril Live will be on December 11.

Hot List

Really? Matt Damon? Sexiest Man Alive for 2007?
I just don't see it.

Here, in no particulare order, are some suggestions for next year:

Matthew Kincaid -Ok, this one is in order, because he's #1 in my book for so many reasons.... his intelligence, his willingness to let go, the way he makes me laugh, eating ice cream in bed with me, the little wrinkles by his eyes when he smiles, the way he does things for other people that are so so sweet and generous and never tells anyone, his love and respect for his family and friends etc etc etc


Adam Levine-you can't deny this, especially if you've seen him live

Lenny Kravitz-hello! how has he never gotten the cover?? Come on!





Dave Grohl-Drummer for Nirvana and founding member of Foo Fighters? That qualifies him right there, but the chewing gum while singing and playing guitar all at the same time doesn't hurt his case.



Leland Chapman-Dog the Bounty Hunter's son. Chasing bad guys, jumping over fences..trust me on this one.


Shia LaBeouf-he's so young it's almost illegal, but I just couldn't leave him off my list. I think he's an incredible actor and I think he will last in the industry for a long, long time. Plus, he's just so cute.


Dermot Mulroney-what can I say? I'm a sucker for romatic comedies


Tyson Beckford -he's so good looking it's almost uncomfortable to look at him!


Brandon Boyd-he's so creative and passionate in all aspects, not just his music


Ryan Gosling-something about him that reads "I have no idea how hot I am and I don't care" and that's hot


Joaquin Phoenix -he's serious about his craft and has a scar on his face, I love that about him


David Beckham -fellow Brit, incredibly shy, chiseled


Chris Cornell -need I say more? Smokin hot!



Jack Black- there's nothing sexier than a sense of humor!


Jake Gyllenhaal-yes, he's got the baby face thing going on, but there's an aire of confidence and intelligence there, and that's hot


Michael Buble -the old school thing works for me


John Mayer-amazing musician/song writer and has a wicked sense of humor. Oh, and is SEXY!!

Johnny Depp -like a fine wine, that just keeps getting better with age. And hotter with age!


Colin Farrell-something about the fact that he just doesn't give a crap what others think


Scott Russo-punk rock prince


Jared Leto-Jordan Catalano will always have a place in my heart

Benicio Del Toro-he's moody, mysterious and won't take crap from anyone


Rob Lowe-totally not my type, but there's something about the sparkle in his eye


Johnny Knoxville-fart jokes aside, he's got it going on


....now those men are sexy! Most of them have tattoo's so I guess it's obvious that is one thing that I love love love.

Maybe we'll see some of these guys next year?

p.s. Lanie, I know you're wondering how this list could be complete without your number one lover, Adam Duritz...sorry homeslice, he just doesn't cut it on my list.

Poop Water

From the toilet to your lips, check out the plan for toilet water and how Orange County will be drinking it like it's Evian. I don't care how many filters it goes through, it's still yucky. Good for water conservation but bad on the mental image.

It's a boy!

Check out the swanky baby shower invite for Nicole Richie and Joel Madden! In Touch magazine recently reported that they're having a boy, and the shower would be at a Beverly Hills estate with music by DJ and friend, Samantha Ronson. Some of Nicole’s favorite foods — including sushi, coconut shrimp, lobster, lemon-pepper chicken, fruit and cake — will be served.

Best wishes, Nicole and Joel!

Maroon5-7 miles from the sun

Maroon5-In the air tonight

This was in incredible moment in the concert...they break into Phil Collins, In the air tonight for a split second...WOWIE!!!!!

Maroon5-Sunday Morning

Maroon5-I want you so bad

This song does things to me...

Marooon5--Harder to breathe

Maroon5-She will be loved

Maroon5-Won't go home without you

I love this song!

Maroon5-Staples 11/08/07-This Love

More yummy goodness from last night!

A.MAZ.ING.

Last night I went to see Maroon5 at the Staples Center with my homeslice Lanie.

Oh.
My.
Gosh.

I can't even begin to explain how incredible it was. There are no words.

See for yourself. I apologize in advance for the poor visual quality and shakey camera, but it's hard to dance, sing, drool and record a video all at the same time.

I thought it was funny

Happy Friday!







(Thanks for the funny pics Lexie!)

And Scene

Support your local theatre company! Take a bite out of culture!

Opens Tonight. Six Performances Only.
THE HUNGER ARTISTS THEATRE COMPANY PRESENTS THE SECOND INSTALLMENT OF DEAD LETTER OFFICE
November 9 - November 18, 2007
Fridays & Saturdays 8:00PM, Sundays 7:00 PM

"Using the scrawled messages on the back of discarded postcards as inspiration, the Hunger Artists Theatre Company invited several of Orange County's most prominent playwrights to create an original ten-minute play based on the messages, which were often humorous, cryptic and unusual. The result is a collection of 25 plays, each a world premiere. The pieces will be split into two programs showing alternate nights. "

My home girl Lanie wrote one of the plays, so I' m really excited to see it!!!

Here's the info: Hunger Artists Theatre 699A S. State College BlvdFullerton, California 92831
Tickets are $15 General. (714)680-6803 to make your reservations now.

Your how old?

It's the age old question, how long can you keep your makeup for before throwing it away? How long is good? There are a bunch of different opinons out there, but here's a basic guideline:

Brushes – wash every 2-3 months (Sephora has an inexpensive cleaner that works great)
Concealer – up to 12 months
Eyeliner – 3 years, but sharpen on a regular basis
Eyeshadow – 3 years
Foundation – water-based, 12 months; oil-based, 18 months
Lipliner – up to 3 years
Lipstick – 1-2 years
Mascara – 4 months
Nail Polish – up to 12 months
Powder – 2 years
Sponges – 1 month but wash weekly

If you’re like me, you’ve got a lot of beauty products, way too many to be able to know when you purchased what and when. (Yes, the photo is a small snippet of my stash.) So how are we supposed to know when the time's up on my mascara, eyeliner etc. without just guessing?

Enter these genius little gizmos! Timestrips are postage stamp-sized labels you stick on your cosmetics, which accurately monitor elapsed time and temperature. Simply activated, the indicator changes color when your makeup is no longer safe to use. So no more guessing if your mascara has met its maker.

Now you're out of excuses!

Clean Slate

I've tried a lot of different face wipes that are out there, but my favorite is Boots No. 7 Quick Thinking Wipes. What sets them apart from the others is that they're thick and clean and not too wet. It gets all my make up, including mascara off in one quick wipe. I have quite moody skin and it doesn't take much for me to break out, but these have never irritated my skin. And there's no fragrance to them that lingers around and makes you slightly queasy! You can find them at your local Target store for about $6.00/pack

Feel the sun shine

The work in a new home is never done. The excitement still hasn't worn off from being home owners for the first time. Every time I walk up to the front door, I feel so lucky and fortunate that this house is ours. And not only that, but for getting everything that was on our wish list from the beginning. Costa Mesa? Check. Small complex of units? Check. Two story with attached garage and good size yard? Check. Two bedrooms/two and a half bathrooms? Check. How did this happen? I will try not to question, and instead just embrace. And the best part of this whole thing? I am sharing it with my husband, the love of my life. The guy who has known me for over half my life and loves me anyway. The guy that can make burst out laughing while I'm trying to be mad at him. The guy that makes me feel protected and safe and beautiful and loved.

Fixing up the house is something that can be stressful but oh so rewarding. We did some things before moving in, like painting every wall and ceiling in the place. It's amazing what a coat of paint can do to a space. It's like night and day. There are some other projects in the works that will make our home even more kick ass!

I told you all about our curtain debacle, and that was so much more frustrating than I ever thought. But we're almost done with it. I finally found curtains that we love, and my Mom found a lady that can do all the alterations (ie: take four curtains and sew two pairs together making two really long curtains) for a great price. I went with my Mom last weekend and bought liner and trim and now they just have to be put together. That's a big, huge, gigantic line through that "to do" item.

One thing I'm super stoked on is the front entrance. It's the first thing you see when you come into the house, so it has to make an impression. There has to be some wow factor there. I have a very vivid picture in my mind of the vibe and the look and it's been fun trying to bring that into reality. One piece that I have been searching all over for it a sunburst mirror. They're harder to find than one might think. I have literally been looking for months. They're either too small, too big, too thin, too thick, too nautical, too 70's, too too too......

Well, I'm ecstatic to tell you that the wait is over! My Mom (who's the queen at finding little hidden stores and on line retailers that have exactly what you want) found our perfect mirror. It's more than we were wanting to spend originally, but this baby is sooo worth it. It's the right size (39.5') the right color (gold) and the right vibe for our home. It's the first thing peeps are going to see when they walk thought the front door and will set the mood for the rest of the house. Oh, I'm practically drooling over here just thinking about it. I just ordered it and it will be here in two weeks. I hope and pray that it will look as fierce in real life as it does on line.

I'll keep you posted!

Most Improved Celeb

Katie Holmes...ur..I mean Kate Cruise....has never looked better! She's rocking the short bob, her make up is exquisite, she's showing a little bit of skin. What a total babe! She gets my "most improved celebrity" award. And by award, I mean, a shout out on my blog that they have improved. The most.

And did I mention that she even ran the 37th annual New York City Marathon on Sunday morning with more than 39,000 other runners? She finished it 5 hours, 29 minutes and 58 seconds later, not too shabby!

Here's the Katie we all remember, before her transformation

It's amazing what a good haircut and stylist can do. (Yes, Brit Brit, I'm talking to you!!) A little buffing, polishing, sculpting, refining, correct make up application and and BAM! Hot young Hollywood starlet!

There is no doubt that she has come a long way from her Dawson Creek-pre Tom days. Need more proof that it's not just a shot in the dark? Check her out on several different occasions, looking hot and fresh every time.