I've been watching American Idol all season....and apparently ordering Dominos Pizza a lot too.  They have this program called "House Party" which has different themes and you submit an application to be a host.  If chosen, they hook you up with a prize pack of party favors for your event.  I was chosen to host an American Idol party.  Unfortunately, not too many people showed up (this town has such a crazy schedule) except for Stefanie and her baby Taylor.  So now I have all this extra swag leftover: mainly Ford products since they are the ones that sponsor AI.  I've got pens, pads of paper, drawstring backpacks, etc.  Anybody want one?!  On another note, I really wish I would've placed a bet on Kris to win because I'm sure his odds were outrageous and I might've actually made some money gambling for once!  

For all the foodies out there: my newest favorite sandwich shop is "Munch A Sub" located in the corner of Cameron and Hacienda in a little shopping complex.  It is a little pricey but the portions are extremely generous so you definitely get your money's worth.  It is a mom and pop joint and they are all very friendly.  When you leave you feel pretty good that you are supporting a local business and not just a chain giant.  Their address is: 5320 Cameron St # 1 Las Vegas, NV 89118 (702) 221-1643‎  They have over 50 selections to choose from on their menu which often makes a quick lunch a difficult decision.  I suggest the meatball sub, turkey sandwich, and tuna (just a few that I have tried so far!)  There are some bad reviews out there on the internet but that was before they changed owners.  Give this place a shot if you are on that side of town over by The Orleans Casino and let me know what you think!

So we made a cardinal sin: we got another pup!  Her name is Holly and she is a beagle (same as Hank).  They both get along really well  and she is a little spit fire.  Look how cute she is when she hides under her dog bed!  Try and tell me that you could've had the will power to say no to THAT face :)  She has a little case of kennel cough right now but we took her to the vet and she got a shot of antibiotics and some cough medicine.  It seems to be helping her a lot and hopefully she will stop hacking like she has been a chain smoker her whole life!  

I left an hour early for the TV Land Awards due to being located near the beach and having to drive inland to Universal Studios.  I made it there in 20 minutes...go figure.  Didn't hit one lick of traffic on a Sunday morning.  After speaking to several uninformed employees that didn't seem to know that there was a gift lounge as well as actually calling the gift lounge coordinator who didn't seem to know how to get where they were, I arrived and unloaded my car.  Out of all the days to hold the award show, today was by far the hottest.  We were located in a tent on black asphalt that did not allow for any ventilation and probably reached temperatures of 100 degrees.  Anyway, it was somewhat of a disappointment because the major stars we were looking forward to gifting (NPH, Tom Selleck, Charlie Sheen) didn't come in at all.  However, I did score this sweet picture with Al Bundy!

Yesterday I drove from Las Vegas to Los Angeles.  I hit traffic for 2 hours which bummed me out because I was making such good time.  Apparently there was a truck that had rolled over and was on fire.  However, there was a ton of slowing and I NEVER saw a truck and then the traffic magically started flowing again.  Welcome to California.  I stopped by my Dad's house and had a good chat with him.  Then I went to my mom's house where I proceeded to make some carrot cake cupcakes and white cake cupcakes for my friend Nicole and her fiance Dan for their wedding.  After chatting with my mom for awhile, I went to bed and had the most solid sleep I've had in a long time.  For some reason, sleeping in the bed I grew up in is always so comforting.  This morning I got up and went and grabbed coffee with my mom at a new cafe/pizza joint in our quiet neighborhood.  They bake the majority of their pastries in house and I selected a strawberry delight that unfortunately was not as good as it looked.  Sigh.  Just more proof that I need to get my but back to Westchester and open up my own bakery.  Side note:  El Segundo bakery (the only other local potential competition for my future bakery) has closed and is for sale.  Where is my monopoly money tree when I need it?!  My mom and I went to the Apple store where she so graciously purchased a MacBook for me.  I haven't blogged in awhile due to my Dell PC deciding to die and take the AC adaptor along with it (good think I had backed up the majority of important stuff to an external hard drive already!)  I then went with my friend Jen to a Thai/Swedish massage that she had scheduled for us (a belated Christmas present because Spa Week was this week where locations across the U.S. were offering spa deals for $50...what a steal!)  That was the quickest hour and half but it was so relaxing.  I had never had a Thai massage before but I recommend it if you need a chiropractic adjustment as well as the soothing effects of a massage!  I then met my mom and dad for a manicure and pedicure (yes, I've got my Dad hooked on pampering himself now!  He deserves it!)  I then went back home and made the frosting for the cupcakes and Nicole and Dan came over to taste test them...they were exactly what they wanted!  Then I went with my mom to pick up dinner from a local Italian restaurant, Alejos, and had dinner over at my Grandma and Grandpa's house.  Then it was off to Tower of Pizza to hang out with my brother for a little bit.  Of course I had to connect my new laptop to the internet at home and blog before I could go to bed!  Tomorrow's adventure:  TV Land Awards at the Gibson Ampitheater at Universal Studios.  Big Feet Pjs is going to be featured in the gift lounge.  I can't wait to blog about all the celebrities that I will have met and hopefully have some pictures to post :)

Yesterday I made a pilgrimage to Retro Bakery off of 95 and Durango. I forget how I originally came across this bakery...probably while I was looking for ideas for my own bakery on the internet. It had been on my list of places to go check out for awhile and now I'm kicking myself for waiting for so long! I was disappointed at first that I had gotten there so late in the day and the display case was almost empty. However, the very nice man behind the counter informed me to tell him whatever flavors I wanted and they would frost one in the back for me really quick. The cupcakes were $2.50 a piece or $27 for a dozen. I went for the dozen because there were too many interesting flavors that I wanted to try. I headed out of there and back home (shockingly without hitting any traffic!) and sat down at the table to begin the taste test. I took a bite of each cupcake making sure to cleanse my pallet in between each taste.
Here are the notable flavor combos that I would highly suggest if you make a visit:
1. Glazed Donut: Vanilla Cake drenched in donut glaze
2. Cookies and Cream: Chocolate cake topped with crushed Oreo cookies in vanilla buttercream
3. Peanut Butter Cup: Chocolate cake topped with peanut butter buttercream and dark chocolate shavings
4. Milk & Cookies: Chocolate chop cake topped with vanilla buttercream and a scratch-made chocolate chip cookie

There were many other flavors that I wanted to try but my dilema was that I had hit the dozen cupcake mark. I guess I will have to make another pilgrimage soon. If you want to check out their website it's www. RetroBakeryLV.com

I'm on day 2 of my 2 week detox that I picked up from the Vitamin Shoppe. I have to admit...I'm feeling pretty good. I don't know if it is all mental but I actually think that my little belly is starting to flatten...a little bit. The best part is that I don't wake up totally exhausted in the morning and I'm actually sleeping better through the night. If this is how I feel on day 2, I can't wait until the 2nd week! Also, I've been going to yoga again (well today would be the second day in a row!) and I don't feel as stressed and I'm happy to finally be doing something for ME. On another random side note, the YMCA finally called my references but have yet to call me to offer me the job. They sure do like to keep you in suspense. I guess that's why they say that patience is a virtue. Maybe this is giving me time to get myself right before delving back into the world of working two jobs again. More importantly, the Dodgers won on opening day! I'm ready for them to go to the World Series this year...we got so close last year :)

Lately I've been thinking about doing a detox. I've been feeling tired all the time (no, I'm not pregnant!) and just not motivated to do much. Partially I think because I've been a little depressed with not having a second job for the first time in the 2 1/2 years that I've been out here pretty much. I interviewed at the YMCA on Monday and it seemed to go really well. They said that they would notify us by the end of the week either way so that they don't waste anybody's time. Well Friday at 4:15 rolled around and I called and left a polite voicemail asking if they needed any additional information and if they might have made any decisions. I shockingly received a call back and they said that they would be calling my references. They must be waiting until Monday to call because they certainly have not called any of them. This is very frustrating. I just need to not stress about it and just know that everything happens for a reason and to be patient. This is perhaps one of the reasons that I went to church this morning (besides it being Palm Sunday and typically being only a holiday Catholic!). I felt that I needed some sort of calming and guiding force to be with me today and give it all up to Him and have my burdens lifted. I know this is sort of a rambling rant of a blog right now but I guess that's what happens when you don't blog daily and you let it all bottle up. P.S. if I was still in my college psychology class I would totally write a paper on how blogging is the new therapist. On a random side note, I would ask for prayers and thoughts for my best friend's nephew that has Horner's Syndrom which is a lesion in the eye and can be caused by a tumor or genetics or can be spontaneous. His older brother had the same syndrome and it was a tumor and has caused him to have one of his eyes removed and over 30 surgeries and he is only 15 years old. Thomas is not even 2 and we hope and pray that the doctors can fix it before it gets worse. Thank you all and God bless.

Because I haven't blogged in a while and I stole this from Berly's blog....


14. A picture of you with your oldest friend


Melinda and I have been best friends since Kindergarden. This picture was taken one night in San Diego when I went to visit her in college.






15. A picture you had no idea was being taken


For my birthday one year all I wanted to do was wear fake mustaches, go to a Dodger game, and sit in the all-you-can eat section and attempt to eat a Dodger dog and a beer an inning.





16. A picture of yourself that you like



I had short hair and it was red and it was sassy!








17. A picture of yourself that you hate


My hair was too dark, the bangs were hideous, and I was extremely pale.





18. A picture of you with someone you love
















19. A picture of how you'd like the world to see you



Hopefully the owner of my own bakery some day :)











20. A picture that describes how you'd like to spend every day.



Being at Dodger stadium and singing along to "I Love LA"







21. A picture of a time when everything was changing.

Oh 2009. Of course we had to start out with drama. My Grossmutter passed away on Friday morning at the ripe age of 92. This was my dad's mom (Grossmutter is German for grandma). She had fallen and broken her hip in November and we all knew that there was no recovering fully this time around. Right after the New Year she started sleeping more and more which was good because then she wasn't in pain and wasn't complaining. We knew the end was near and my dad was prepared to have everything ready (he has some experience since my grandpa passed away 2 years ago and my uncle followed 3 months after that). I randomly was driving to LA for this past weekend and my parents waited to tell me until I got home so I wouldn't worry driving. There were tears of sadness but mostly of peace of mind knowing that this is what she wanted and that she was finally at rest. I will be flying back home tomorrow for the wake and then the funeral on Saturday. God willing, there won't be any rain on Saturday. Please keep my Grossmutter and family in your thoughts and prayers and I hope all is well with you my reader.

December has been a pretty hectic month for me working both jobs. My pajama boss has told me all month long (and all year long) how much she appreciates me and all of my hard work. I've always been a hard worker. That's how my Dad raised me. She kept telling me that I was going to get a great Christmas bonus this year. Last year I got a check for $700 which I thought was pretty amazing. Yesterday we got our Christmas cards and I opened mine up in the car...and started to cry. She had written that $5,000 would be added to my next paycheck! This is more than I could ever ask for or even imagine ever receiving. I feel absolutely blessed to have such an amazing boss and job but yet I am torn. My boyfriend wants to go to film school in LA which gives me an excuse to finally move back to LA and get things rolling. How do I break this information to my boss? Maybe I can keep working for her and take care of business from a remote location that doesn't have to be on site in Vegas? I don't want her to feel abandoned or that I am ungrateful. Any suggestions?

Today I was on the Fox 5 News to promote Big Feet Pjs. I thought you all might get a kick out of the segment. Enjoy!

http://www.fox5vegas.com/video/18347182/index.html

I forgot to mention the funniest part of my roadtrip on my earlier post. The not so funny setup: my grandma fell and broke her hip (again) earlier this month and has been in and out of the hospital. On my trip home, EJ, my mom and I went to visit her. EJ waited outside for a little bit while I was talking to my grandma. Here is the most memorable quote which almost made me lose it: "You've been a good girl for so long. It's finally time for you to be naughty!" Did I just hallucinate that or did my grandma really just tell me to be naughty? Maybe it was the drugs she was on or maybe as you get older you just say it how it is or perhaps it was a mixture of both. Either way, it was pretty hilarious. Grandmother approval to be naughty. And my year is now complete, thank you!

This past weekend the boyfriend and I took a roadtrip to LA where I introduced him to my Dad and my brother. Everything went really well. EJ wanted to check out the LA Film School and fell in love with it. He wants to move to LA! This totally excites me because I finally have the kick in the seat of the pants that I need to get back to LA and start my bakery. Funny how life works out like that :) Randomly on Sunday we were driving around and I was showing him the neighborhood I grew up in (Westchester) and we started going to open houses. I sort of have this thing where I find things that I want and fall in love with them and am relentless in finding a way to have it. It happened with my car, my puppy, and of course now...a house. The kitchen is super important to me and I stepped inside this house with a white picket fence and instantly had a connection with the house. The kitchen was newly remodeled with tons of counter space and storage. The master bed room was super spacious with a fantastic bathroom (also very important!) The backyard would be perfect for Hank to run around in too. I really hope the price goes down on the house a bit and that my parents can help me out with a down payment. Everything seems to be moving so fast but it all feels so right. Luckily, most of my friends and family have been super supportive and encouraging and most importantly HAPPY for me because I'm happy. So there's the update kiddos! Here's the link to my dream home...let me know what you think!http://www.coldwellbanker.com/servlet/PropertyListing?action=detail&ComColdwellbankerDataProperty_id=14684050&page=property&brand=CB

The internet finally works again at the chocolate shop! It has been down for the past 2 weeks and has made blogging a little difficult to get around to. Here are some updates:

1. I can finally chew real food again! I was supposed to wait until the Monday after Thanksgiving but I couldn't resist all the goodies on Thanksgiving and gave in...I think most people would've broken down earlier than the 5 1/2 weeks I made it through. I lost 15lbs (mostly muscle) and had to buy new pants. It really just gave me an excuse to shop...twist my arm ;)

2. Things are still going well with the boyfriend :)

3. Big Feet Pajama Co. has been boomin with the approaching Christmas season! If you need a pair of footie pajamas go to http://www.bigfeetpjs.com/ and check them out.

4. I never thought that I would be that dog owner that dressed her dog up but I couldn't resist to take Christmas pictures with Hank. He is so handsome!

I'm alive! It has been 3 weeks since my surgery and I am feeling fantastic. I kept ice on religiously and never bruised. Last week I had my first day where I could swallow mashed potatoes and it was sooooooooo satisfying! Halloween came and passed. I went to my brother's house for a party and let him choose my costume: Flava Flav! Pretty amusing. In the picture, my cheeks are still a little swollen but is almost completely gone. I also went to my friend's 25th birthday party complete with moon bounce and cheesy kid party games with an adult twist: blind folded marshmallow eating contest anybody?! I got to be the feeder since I can't chew anything. My next checkup is on Tuesday where they will also adjust my braces. Everything is spot on and the doctors can't believe how well I am recovering. Recovery is all a state of mind. Your body recovers naturally but if you have the right mentallity and determination to not let it get you down, it actually isn't that bad. I'm over the hump and ready for this rollercoaster to come to an end and see what the cheesy picture is at the end of the ride that I can pay $20 to purchase! (not that these pictures aren't perfectly cheesy and priceless!)

In researching information for my Rock 'n Roll Cakery (it's already trademarked so don't try and steal my idea!), I came across this article that I really think is going to help me with the idea behind my cakery. While working in the chocolate shop, there is piped in music that is not really exciting or motivating for employees so why would that make customers want to stay in the store longer and purchase more? I started to notice a trend of an increase in sales when I would plug in my ipod with a mix of classic rock and oldies but goodies. This began my quest to find what research has been done in regard to the correlation of food and music and ultimately sales. Here is the article for you to enjoy:


Seven Ways Music Influences Mood
[Photo by MarS]Good music has direct access to the emotions. As such it's a fantastic tool for tweaking our moods. Saarikallio and Erkkila (2007) investigated the ways people use music to control and improve their mood by interviewing eight adolescents from Finland. The participants may be a small, very specific group, but they actually present a really useful list:
Entertainment - At the most fundamental level music provides stimulation. It lifts the mood before going out, it passes the time while doing the washing up, it accompanies travelling, reading and surfing the web.
Revival - Music revitalises in the morning and calms in the evening.
Strong sensation - Music can provide deep, thrilling emotional experiences, particularly while performing.
Diversion - Music distracts the mind from unpleasant thoughts which can easily fill the silence.
Discharge - Music matching deep moods can release emotions: purging and cleansing.
Mental work - Music encourages daydreaming, sliding into old memories, exploring the past.
Solace - Shared emotion, shared experience, a connection to someone lost.These seven strategies all aim for two goals: controlling and improving mood. One of the beauties of music is it can accomplish more than one goal at a time. Uplifting music can both divert, entertain and revive. Sad, soulful music can provide solace, encourage mental work and discharge emotions. The examples are endless.Many of Saarikallio and Erkkila's findings chime with previous research. For example, distraction is considered one of the most effective strategies for regulating mood. Music has also been strongly connected with reflective states. These tend to allow us greater understanding of our emotions. One of the few negative connections Saarikallio and Erkkila consider is that sad music might promote rumination. Rumination is the constant examination of emotional state which, ironically, can lead to less clarity. On the contrary, however, Saarikallio and Erkkila found that music increased the understanding of feelings, an effect not associated with rumination. http://www.spring.org.uk/2007/03/seven-ways-music-influences-mood.php

Life has been so hectic lately! Hank and I took a road trip to LA so I could take care of some pre-surgery appointments. I am FINALLY having my jaw surgery on Monday after a year of having braces. Here is some information describing the operation: http://www.healthbase.com/resources/dental-procedures/dental-procedures/mandibular-sagittal-split-osteotomy.html and along with this I am having a Lefort I procedure for my upper jaw. You can come across some pretty narly pictures when you google those terms so beware! I will have a perfect Halloween costume this year with the natural bruising :) Also, in my crazy work life, Big Feet Pajama Co. was featured in the gift lounge for the Andre Agassi 13th Annual Grand Slam for Children charity event that was held at the Wynn in Las Vegas, NV. I got to meet Emeril Lagasse, Ray Romano, Fergie the Duchess of York, Lifehouse, The Killers, and many many more (not to brag!) Here is a picture of me and Donny Osmond for your viewing:

This Saturday was probably one of the most glorious days of my life! I scored tickets to the third game of the National League Division Series of the Dodgers vs. Cubs. Dodgers were ahead in the series from their two wins in Chicago and this was their first home game. After sitting in traffic for 2 hours and sneaking into a season ticket holder parking spot, we climbed to our seats located on the Reserve level 3. Before actually sitting we purchased the required Dodger dog, nachos, peanuts and beer. If you have never had a Dodger dog, you are missing out. It is truly a fat kid's paradise. We sat down in the 2nd inning and whipped our free rally towels over our heads as each exciting moment came around. The energy in the crowd was absolutely amazing. The thrill of watching the Dodgers sweep the Cubs was something that I will always remember. I can't wait until Thursday when they play their first game for the National League Championship vs. the Phillies in Philadelphia. For all of those that thought that the Dodgers couldn't do it...just watch TBS and see what happens. In case you didn't know this about me: read the Dodger jumbo-tron board below!

Date #2 Part II: We met up at Al's Garage to have a couple of beers and watch the Dodgers kick the Cubbies in their special no no place! Had a blast chatting and chillin without any pressure. Good deal. I was on my way to work this morning and he called me to ask if I wanted to go to breakfast tomorrow before I head to LA for the weekend. This is a first for me. A guy who actually makes plans and wants to hang out with me...a rare oddity in Vegas for sure. Stay tuned for stories of Saturday shenanigans to include the following: Dodger playoff game in LA and Melinda (my best friend since kindergarden) celebrating her quarter of a century birthday! With pictures to be posted too I promise!