cleverly disguised.

She's cleverly disguised as a responsible adult.

it's britney, b*tch.

circus.

After an early morning Saturday volunteering at the March of Dimes March for Babies (I forgot my camera and therefore have no photogs documenting mine and Carly's good deed for the week), we admired the beautiful rose garden on the University of Southern California's campus (again, I only have mental pictures of this amazing garden!) before Carly took me to LAX where I boarded a flight that ended almost as soon as it began... no literally... right after the captain gave the okay for me to turn on my IPOD he also came over the load speaker and said "Ladies and gentlemen, we are beginning our initial descent into Las Vegas..." I arrived in Vegas for a one night (I prefer my vacas to Sin City in small doses!) circus!! I met up with a friend from Canada for a drink and catching up before heading over to our exclusive suite at the Signature at MGM Grande (complete with 3 bathrooms, 2 kitchens and a private pool!) where Adam and I made a beer pong table out of our room service cart and got ready for the reason I was in LV for less than 24 hours ..... Britney Spears!! I can still remember the first time I saw the "Hit me Baby One More Time" video on MTV at like 1:00 am in middle school (apparently I've always suffered from insomnia!)... The concert was super exciting!! Brit sang songs that reminded me of many memories in my teens that I can still remember blasting in my first car! Definitely an icon of my generation, I am proud to say that I am twenty-two and can still rock out to b. spears and know every word to her songs!!! ... Sunday, Adam and I sipped on pina coladas all afternoon by the pool before driving back to LA to return to work 8 of the next 11 nights. I wish I was more camera-conscious because these are the only 3 pictures I have from the entire weekend....  

rave reviews.

When I think about living somewhere other than LA (which seems to cross my mind a lot lately!), there are two things that I know I will miss the most... the amount of incredible live music permeating throughout local bars, clubs, lounges on any given night of the week and the amount of talent that comprises the local theatre scene in Los Angeles. I've always associated Broadway with New York City and was very impressed by the amount of local productions that take place here... as equally as fabulous as the plays in NYC! Lots of the time, plays have a run here before they even go to Broadway. I often blog about the concerts I attend but I've never really been able to find the words to describe all the plays Carly and I go to in random, little theatres around LA. Back in October, we went to a play called Angry Young Women in Low Rise Jeans with High Class Issues. The title alone makes you laugh but the play itself was hilarious discussing issues such as a modern day burning of the bras by cutting off the thong that she hates that she is expected to wear, the mood swings associated with taking birth control and what happens when women with great fathers expect that men can actually be trusted. When Kristy was here, we went to a naked musical called Hangin' Out which the entire cast (3 guys and 3 girls) were completely nude the entire show as they pranced around on stage exploring all themes associated with being naked (arousal, self-esteem, body image, etc.) My favorite number was entitled "In a Nut Shell"... I'll let your imagination tell you what it was about...   On Friday, Carly and I headed back to Theatre Row on Santa Monica to be a part of Point Break Live! a hilarious remake of the movie (which starred Keanu Reeves, a terrible actor indeed). I can't even put into words how much fun we had in a poncho-clad audience being a part of the bank robbing, Zen-mastered surfer dude, sky diving, homoneurotic atmosphere! Holding an open audition at the beginning of the show to play Johnny Utah, the part was executed beautifully when a random audience member delivered Reeve's lines with just about as much talent as Keanu did in the movie. The night was amazing!! =) 

waking up canadian.

I'm super proud to be an Americanadian (or as Carly calls me an Eh?merican)... While I have resided in the States for the majority of my life that I can remember, Canada is my favorite country to come home to for summers, winter breaks and holidays! After I travel the world and get all the degrees I want, I fully intend to settle there (preferably Vancouver!) one day! On April 17, 2009, did you wake up Canadian?

megan getting married.

Megan's getting married and I was so excited to be able to help her pick out one of the only details left to order ... invitations! We went t0 a stationary store in D.C. and felt all the pretty paper and looked at all the different examples. With the huge help of her mom back home, she has been carefully planning the most beautiful wedding that is a reflection of the milestones in Danny and Meg's relationship. There's so many small details that go into planning a wedding and because Megan has been dreaming about this wedding long before Danny popped the question, most details were picked out pre-engagement! I was ecstatic when Megan told me she still hadn't decided on the paper because I love stationary and it was fun being a part of the planning! 7 months to go til the big day!  

inner vagabond.

I made a pact once. Eight years ago to be exact. Partially a plight with others but mostly a promise to myself. A solemn vow to not let my history define my future. An eternal oath to never let the fatal cynicism of defeatists influence my ability to succeed. An individual entente to always look forward. Forward to tomorrow. To a challenge. To a dream.
Where does one begin when they feel like they are at the end? The world is your oyster; set out in search of the pearl.
Where does one find comfort when they reach a plateau of perseverance? Focus on the positive for the greatest optimism can manifest from the most trying tribulations if you have the right glasses on to see it... you know, the rose-colored ones.
How do you find solace in uncertainty... the only thing constant is change? Everything happens for a reason; simply live to find out why. Value the lessons learned and look to the bright side. Embrace change... happily.
Seize everyday. Have no regrets. Be in the moment. Flirt with karma. Love with reckless abandon. Find the inner vagabond in you.
Not all who wander are lost, after all.

better days.

And you asked me what I want this year
and I try to make this kind and clear
just a chance that maybe we'll find better days
'cause I don't need boxes wrapped in strings
and designer love and empty things
just a chance that maybe we'll find better days

So take these words and sing out loud
'cause everyone is forgiven now
'cause tonight's the night the world begins again

I need some place simple where we could live
and something only you can give
and that's faith and trust and peace while we're alive
and the one poor child who saved this world
and there's ten million more who probably could
if we all just stopped and said a prayer for them

So take these words and sing out loud
'cause everyone is forgiven now
'cause tonight's the night the world begins again

I wish everyone was loved tonight
and somehow stop this endless fight
just a chance that maybe we'll find better days

So take these words and sing out loud
'cause everyone is forgiven now
'cause tonight's the night the world begins again

'cause tonight's the night the world begins again

suburbia.

I spent a lot of time in a quaint suburb of D.C. at Megan's godparents' house... the exact house I want to have one day. You know the one that always feels like home when you walk in (even though I had never met them before). The kitchen is always full of conversation and smells of a fabulous meal being made; the beds are so comfy you fall asleep the second your head hits the pillow and the sheets smell like fresh linen. The walls are adorned with family photos  and everyone knows their neighbors. It was fabulous getting to spend Easter with the Gallos & Rodriguezes here! =) 

family portrait.

Enjoying one of Barb and Patti's wonderful homemade meals 

Ms. Kirk & Ms. Gallo

Ms. Kirk and Ms. Gallo has a fabulous day teaching first graders (ages 6 & 7) on Tuesday. Ms. Gallo (Megan) has 17 adorable students in her class. We picked them up from the cafeteria at 7:45 and spent six hours learning and laughing with them. We practiced measurements in math. We learned new spelling words with the "ow" sound (owl, town, mouse, etc.). We read books with the fourth graders and in the afternoon, Ms. Kirk (that's me!) taught them a science/health lesson about the skeleton and all the bones in our body and made clay figures to feel what it would be like without a skeleton! It was such a fun day! =)

megan & danny.

I had the best time this weekend with Megan & Danny! A match made in Washington, D.C. it was so fabulous to see the next chapter of their life (post Florida State University where they spent the last 4 years together!) in the nation's capitol. Living in the quaint town of Alexandria, they have created an incredible foundation for their new life together, Megan teaching first grade and Danny working as an accountant for a non-profit in the district. My favorite part of my trip was just joking with Danny over a delicious home-cooked meal made by Megan watching Jeopardy and playing cribbage. I took this photo at a vineyard that we visited over the weekend. They are perfect.  

life of riley.

I learned a new phrase doing the crossword puzzle today: "Life of Riley". When the answer was "easy", I became curious of who this Riley was and why his life was easy. Turns out he was a radio comedian whose life was later made into a feature film and tv series in the 1950's. The expression suggests an ideal life of prosperity and contentment. Pictured here with Jay Leno and Jess, this is just one of the many ways in which I am happy to say I live a life of riley. What a revoltin' development this is! =)

teach for america.

Tomorrow I will be guest teaching in Ms. Gallo's first grade class. Megan was one of only 2,000 people accepted in the two-year program, Teach for America, last year in which fresh, young faces are brought into inner city schools to make a difference in the lives of underprivileged children with their optimistic belief in the childrens' ability to succeed. Much like the Peace Corps, TFA is a non-profit organization that is geared at training teachers to serve in low-income schools and work with the high risk population. I am so excited to share in her job for the day and read them a book about bones and give them a lesson in health! =)

request to the editor.

easter babies.

Two of the most important people in my life share the same birthday today. Kara and I celebrated her birthday together (Happy 24th Birthday!) for 12 days in LA last week and this week, my biff Megan and I are celebrating her birthday together in the district (Happy 23rd Birthday, Megalina!). We've stayed up super late every night talking (it's what we do best!) and here's what we've come to the conclusion of so far: We have been best friends for half our lives (11 and half years!!) and in that time I have adopted her parents, ate her lunch everyday in middle school, spent every weekend perfecting screwdrivers and prophesizing about our futures (and everyone's around us, too) in high school, spent college psychoanalyzing our (past, current and future) relationships in between summers abroad and March of Dimes wine tastings. This past year she moved to DC to selflessly serve in Teach for America while obtaining her masters at George Mason and planning the wedding of the century which will take place this fall. MALYTAB

daffodils.

delightful daffodils at the Bellagio.

laugh.dance.dream.

Kara, Carly, Sydney and I did a lot of laughing, dancing and dreaming last week attending a taping of the Ellen Show! Acquiring tickets to ELLEN show is quite difficult and required Kara stalking the website the weeks before they were available to obtain 4 coveted seats (in the front row, might I add) but it was definitely worth it! Ellen is hilarious and her amazing studio is practically in my backyard (if backyards existed in LA). We laughed with Ellen (you may have seen our laughs on TV), danced with Ellen (before the show, between every commercial break and even all the way off the lot back to the car) and dreamed with Ellen (working the night before and spending all day at the taping before returning to work that very same night, I was quite delusional at the taping and could have fallen asleep standing up if I wasn't laughing and dancing so hard!) Hardly ever sleeping these days, I feel like I now have 14 day weeks being awake all day and working all night.. I have adopted the new life motto of "awake is the new sleep" for I never stop. Take today for instance: Woke up at 10:30, did 3 loads of laundry, swiffered the apt, mailed my Easter packages at the post office, ran thru runyon canyon, ran to Target, played Easter bunny, packed, cleaned my room, repacked so I am only bringing one suitcase, updated my IPOD for the plane, blogged, unpainted my nails (I can't have nail polish on at work), packed my lunch box and now I am off to work tonight and then catching a flight to Washington, DC in the morning after my 12-hour shift for 6 fabulous days with Megan and Danny (and the Gallos!) where I am sure we will do lots more laughing, dancing and dreaming. Thank goodness I don't have a boyfriend... where would I find the time to be in love?

highlights.

I have put off posting pictures of Jess' visit in hopes to add the pictures that she took while she was here to the video but it's been almost a month and the impatient blogger that I am has given up... here are the highlights of when she was here (including a video of what it's like to ride a tandem bike down steep hills to the beach after happy hour...) We went to Pantages theatre to see Grease! is the word .. an adorable musical complete with Taylor Hicks as Teen Angel (who came out for an encore performance at the end!) 

We went to a UCLA gymnastics meet (one of our favorite things to do in college!) and enjoyed mani/pedis in Burbank. We soaked up the sun and shopped in the adorable beach town of Laguna and visited Huntington where her Mum grew up. We met Paige for great sushi and hockey at the Staples Center downtown. We were pulled on stage VIP-style at Jay Leno. We hiked through the hills and took many moments just to reminisce... there's no one I can laugh more with than her! It was a fun-packed five days that went by way too fast. I keep trying to convince her to move to Cali (CHLA is hiring!) and I promised to split the $5000 bonus with her that I would get for recommending a quality employee to an understaffed not-for-profit hospital. Our ED needs you, Jess! It's for the kids! ... I'll be honest, it's for my health too. Do you know how hard it is to live with a fourth of you missing? 

sprinkles.

enjoying sprinkles cupcakes at inspiration point in newport beach.

cameo.

   I haven't a clue to how my story will end. But that's alright. When you set out on a journey and night covers the road, that's when you discover the stars.

poker face.

totally bogus.

Today would have been bogus' 12th birthday. unfortunately, he used up all his nine lives a couple of weeks shy of turning 84 in cat years. I'm sure happy I got to relish in his Canadian retirement with him this summer hardly knowing there was bone cancer developing inside him as he youthfully attacked me in my mother's wedding dress! We got Bogus from Kara's grade six science teacher when I was in elemenary school. He was named after a movie I watched on a plane with Whoopie Goldberg about a boy who had an imaginary friend named "Bogus". I don't think I learned the meaning of the word bogus until a few years later but he definitely grew into his name as he was constantly doing things that were "totally bogus" like opening doors and lifting the lid off the cage of our pet hamsters for lunch. "Boguswogus" as Kara always called him was the best damn cat. He always slept with Kara and I as a kitten and even though I always wanted to give him a bath and dressed him up and tried to train him to walk on a leash, that fat cat (over 20 pounds!) loved me anyways (and all the cans of tuna I mistook for cat food). Beating feline leukemia, a snake bite that required a shunt in his paw, chronic urinary tract infections, and a laundry list of costly health problems... he went through all nine lives much sooner than your average cat. Being greated by his loving purr was the only thing constant in my life for a long time and now, along with the Strawberry Shortcake room I grew up in, a mum to make me fettucini alfredo "just the way I like it" and the tape separating mine and Kara's sides of the room, a part of me feels like one of the last parts of my childhood is gone now too. He died a happy cat. We sent him to retire with Grams when Kara and I both moved into apartments that didn't allow pets while in college. He spent the last couple of years chasing birds, seeing snow for the first time and getting cat hair on everything Grams owned. He found it just as exciting to lay across her newspaper as he did our homework. I'm really going to miss that damn cat.

aussie's hottest export.

sydney and I enjoying my staple "cranberry and vodka" at Prive.

Kara and Kelley's first trip to Vegas ... After an afternoon of walking the strip through all the hotels and casinos and before a night filled of drinks and dancing in an amazing club (with an incred! dj, of course!) where it literally rained money, losing their Vegas virginity just wouldn't have been complete without seeing Thunder from Down Under VIP... I didn't mind going to see the sexy brutes half-naked (again)!

After the show with the sexiest Aussie export... where do we sign up to be Australian imports?!