He took me to mansion but I don't mean the club

Woke up at 4am today to catch my flight back home from NY. I had a great weekend with Abbie. Just to make all you girls jealous out there- My first night there he took me to his golf course to watch the perseid meteor shower. It was very sweet and very romantic.

My last night there we stayed in a mansion.

Where we had beers...

Beers...
and more beers...

Shenanigans...

pool and beers...

beer and beers...

I think I'll go to Boston

My trip to Boston wasn't quite what I thought it would be. We arrived just in time to eat dinner at our hotel and crash. The next day I watch Abbie play golf in the pouring rain for 4 hours under 5 layers of jackets. (Being the Floridian that I am- I packed only summer clothes for this trip - it IS late June after all!) Abbie said I looked like Joey from Friends when he put on all of Chandlers clothes.

I sat in the airport for four hours to learn I wasn't going to make it on the flight back home. We grabbed a quick bite with Abbie's friends and crashed. I finally made it home today at 5. I had a little bit of a delay at the airport- so I purchased the book Twilight which I thought was pretty good until my friend told me her 10 year old step daughter loved it too. (Does that speak highly of her or less of me?)

This is the only picture I took on this trip. The only good thing about flying is being able to watch the sunset from above.

Abbley Road Trip 2009

Last week I returned from my 6 day road trip with Abbie- from Florida to New York. Between moving and traveling- I haven’t had the chance to blog. Now that I’m back to my routine, I should be more consistent.

So- I’m dying to share our vacation- I won’t bore you with all the details – just the highlights

1st Stop- Orlando: to visit Abbie’s friend Jason and Sue
•At the winery Sue forgot her ID and had to drink juice at the wine tasting.
•Drank margaritas and played Seinfeld Scene It (how to be a winner and a loser at the same time)

2nd Stop- Savannah:
•Haunted Pub Crawl- had some beers- scared the oldest man in our group and forced a friendship on another couple on the tour (they hung out with us the rest of the night)

•Our first bar had a punching bag machine where a guy put in $50 ($1 per punch) we ooohhh and ahhhh at his macho-ness so that he would give us a few shots.

3rd Stop- South of the Border – the pictures explain it all

4th Stop- Raleigh
•Had an awesome 4 star hotel- bought popcorn from the movie theatre, champagne from Target and watched a movie in our room on our huge HD TV screen.

5th Stop- Shenandoah Valley
•Forgot firewood, food, water and music.
•Drank 2 bottles of champagne and played Last Word all night
•Couldn’t sleep for the rest of the night because there was a rat in the wall
•Shenandoah Scenic Highway- it was so foggy we couldn’t see any of the scenery.

6th Stop- Luray Caverns
•check out the pictures – amazing place
•Abbie’s favorite part of the trip – the garden maze

Last stop- New York – Abbie’s home for the summer.

EPCOT Food and Wine Festival

Abbie and I went to Epcot's Food and Wine Festival this past weekend. The Festival makes drinking around the world even better with their extra "countries" aka food and beverage kiosks. The wines at these additional booths were $2 - $3 so it was better on the wallet as well. We even had the opportunity to hobnob with the wine snobs at the Francis Ford Coppola wine tasting.(“hmmm… this one smells like… red … red wine…”)

Breakneck Ridge

I used to watch Road Rules on MTV and wonder if I would be like those wussy girls that cried at every mission. After climbing Breakneck Ridge with Abbie I learned that yes, I would cry.

Sanibel

Flight from hell

I knew it was going to happen to me one day. Just as everyone will experience chickenpox in their lifetime, I also think that everyone (everyone who flies anyway) will also experience a turbulent plane ride.

Flying back home from NY, I sat in the window seat and was so annoyed when the man next to me didn't scoot over to the aisle when it was apparent that that seat was going to be empty.

About 1/2 way through the flight we hit a huge thunderstorm over the Carolina's. We experienced major turbulence off and on for about 40 min. The plane rocked from left to right and kept dropping down. I honestly felt like I was going to die and was on the verge of tears.

I knew talk to someone before total panic set in. So, I tapped on the arm of the man next to me and forced him to stop watching the Mets game and have a conversation with me. Frank was his name and although I did almost all of the talking- it made me feel so much better.

Thank you Frank from Fort Myers- you have no idea how much I appreciate you being there and not scooting to the aisle seat!

I did a little research:

http://www.newton.dep.anl.gov/askasci/gen01/gen01608.htm

http://www.guidetopsychology.com/airfacts.htm

http://www.airlinetraveladvice.com/fear.shtml

(picture- Abbie and I in Bayville)

More from Sin City

- You better save your girl... "nah- she can run." Shiiiiit, I can sprint!
- Flashbacks- "I'm cronfused." "hands in the back, hands in the back"
- Here's my pickup line "I drive an 82 Acura" No seriously - I do.
- I would totally fall for a guy that said "I have a puppy... wanna come back to my place?"
- (Harrah's pool DJ- nobody wants to relive this)
- This is just like the pool at the Palms... just 30 years later.
- I don't do blue drinks- braces.
- Tony- show her how you swim! Tony- give tiffanie a hug! Tony- don't you smile! Tony- sing for Tiffanie!
- Ok girls! you need to pick which one of you is going to be really embarrassed (both point to Shanna)
- Shanna's BJ Drink.
- hmmm... i guess rat tails are back in style.
- What do you sell? plastic? is that plastic? is that acrylic? Lucite? oh- plastic?
- Spit Shanna! you know you don't swallow anyways.
- I'll have the baked beans ... on second thought... I'll have the fries
- Tiffanie? you ok in there!?!? Maybe we should give her some privacy.
- Shanna: I have to go to the bathroom... again.
- Hi, my name is Sing. Hi, my name is Math.
- Here, I'll pour that for you (drink all down Ashley's leg). um.. Let's go! now!
- You've only had 3 beers?!?! wow. how are you going to make it through this weekend?
- I NEVER SAID I WANTED TO GO TO EXPRESS!... yes you did! i said: "they have an Express do you want to go there?" you said: "yes" ... Oh, yeah, i might have said that.
- Friday = in bed at 9pm :-(
- Let's just say I didn't wake up alone. That's all im going to say about that.
- you have to put your shoes on or you will step on glass. "I WOULD RATHER WALK ON GLASS THAN WEAR THESE SHOES!"
-So you dont work in Vegas? Did he give you some of our $100? (I think he thinks we are hookers)
- Hey he thinks we are hookers. Ok- well let me get a free drink and we'll go, ok?
-(drunk girl pushing her way up to the bar- throws money all over bar)
-Do you have my name on your body too? "I bet you $20 I have your name on my leg!"
- Elbowing people away by dancing crazy.
- He heard what you said. Hey! you heard what she said right? Yes you did- tell her you heard what she said.
- vacant and vacant

Vegas Baby

Here's what I think about Vegas...

There is just too much pressure to have insanely wild, irresponsible, naughty fun in Vegas. So what if I worked all day and want to take a nap? Sure I'll sleep when I'm dead- but I'm tired now!

And I don't care if there are only old people at the Harrah's pool- I refuse to wait in line and pay $20 to sweat in an overcrowded, STD infected pool at the Palms. Besides - I look like a dime in a bag of pennies at Harrah's.

And sure the restaurants are unbelievable in Vegas - but when you are living on a shoestring budget and are paying $14 for a teeny tiny glass of Vodka Tonic - McDonald's isn't a bad choice for dinner - I have priorities you know. Besides, I need to drink something to deal with all the spiky hair assholes that think they can grab my waist as I walk by them in the club.

Lastly, if I hear "What happens in Vegas..." again- I'll stab someone in the eye. Although I guess it is kinda of funny for my friend Dennis whose Rolex stayed in Vegas ... along with the hooker that jacked it from his hotel room. Shame shame!

Crosswalks and Revolving Doors

I just returned from Chi-town. My first time there. Actually, it was my first time in a big city period. What a different world! I've always been a Florida girl- never had I had to deal with revolving doors, crosswalks, or public transportation- other than the occasional cab I took home when I had too many Myers and Diet Coke.

Being a Florida girl the cold was a huge shock to my system. But cold air and all... I fell in LOVE with the city. Everything about it - the old buildings, the varying heights, sights, textures and sounds and of course the beautiful and oh - so- fashionable people.

The sidewalks were crammed with pedestrians and the streets were jammed with cabs . I would think that it must be so easy to meet people- even to just converse for a minute or two- (comment on the weather or traffic)

For those who have never been to Naples FL- here is how it compares:

Chicago- Must walk and/or take public transportation
Naples- Must own a car- we only have one city bus whose stops are few and far between

Chicago- Endless shopping
Naples- Coastland Center Mall

Chicago- Sears Tower
Naples- Naples Pier

Chicago- Bumping Nightlife- bars and clubs open till 4am
Naples- 2 clubs that close at 2am

Chicago- FREEZING COLD WEATHER!
Naples- Cold = 75 degrees

I have to admit- having the beach almost makes up for all the other things Naples lacks. It truly is paradise- but I do plan on visiting the Windy City again... only this time it will be in the summer.