Hawaii Week: It's not the Journey, it IS the Destination.

They often say, "it's not the destination, it's the journey". I always wish I could say that but here's the thing... I have a tremendous fear of flying. This fear didn't come about in 2001 after we were attacked in the air rather, it has been with me since this flight I had coming home from Nebraska in about 1994. I went to the bathroom when I shouldn't have and thus was trapped in there during horrible turbulence. To this day, turbulence freaks me out. I am fine on a smooth flight, I'll sit and read and do crosswords but any bumps and I have to quite literally talk myself out of a panic attack.

It's no fun.

 But neither is living in a world without air travel. I promised myself forever that my fear of flying wouldn't ever stop me from boarding a commercial jet because to opt out of such a task would doom me to never experience the world as it should be experienced.

So because of that, I fly whenever I need to and patiently try to get from point A to point B. However, it is never the journey that excites me when it comes to trips that require me boarding a plane. And in the case of Hawaii, it can't be anything BUT the destination.

I mean really, Hawaii is the uber destination. I left Oregon wearing Ugg boots, a knit, wool hat (I kid you not) and a warm jacket to get off the plane in Hawaii sporting yoga pants, a wife-beater and flip-flops and be sweating. It pains me to know that Hawaii is always this beautiful as I have to whittle ice off my windshield in the winter.

That's why when The Boy and I got off our respective flights in Honolulu, we seized our first day together in sunny, sunny Hawaii. We quickly checked in and even quicker dressed down and headed to the beautiful beach.

 {The Beaches. The Beer. The Sun.}

{What a beach should look like}

{I love this of us. So dorky.}

{The Boy enjoying a Sunset in the water in Waikiki}

By the end of the day, we were as obsessed with Hawaii as Carrie is with Shoes and we still had the rest of our trip left in front of us. It was a wonderful way to kick-off the next few days.

Happy Monday folks!!!
PS- as I wrote this, I was watching "The Sandlot", could that movie be any better? Nope!

The Grass is Always Greener in the Tropics

I'm back and I'm not happy about it. Seriously, the last place that I want to be right now is home, in cold weather, with gray skies. Hello! Hawaii is a little slice of HEAVEN! From the amazing drinks, inspired food, beautiful bodies and people, gorgeous sun... it seriously makes me wonder why in the h*ll I live where I live. I know, I know... Hawaii is a vacation spot and is supposed to be that much of a break from your life but damnit, what would be so wrong with living in Paradise?

{The Boy and I: Waikiki beach. 1/23/2011. The bag I'm holding was a giveaway win from Leah. I love it and use it all the time.}

Here's what I essentially came to Hawaii with: A fatty suitcase (I tried to carry-on, I tried) full of every top, skirt, shoe, heel that I could EVER want. Seriously- I had a bangin' closet of hot weather goodies to choose from every single day. Go me, right?

Wrong! I literally could have packed for Hawaii in a plastic shopping bag from the grocery store. Due to its salivating temperatures, I spent next to every moment in a bikini, some semblance of a cover-up and flip-flops (flat ones, not f*ck me ones). My full suitcase which housed an entire month's worth of clothes basically made out like one of Hef's Playboy Bunnies: got to travel to exotic locales for free and just lay around and look pretty.

{I packed white dresses, black dresses... and wore bikinis instead. Like my Hawaiian burn on the right?}

Though I too did a lot of laying around, I didn't always look pretty- helllllllllo Miss Tomato Skin- however, I had a brilliant time with my boyfriend. Seriously, I'm kinda obsessed with him right now. I adore him normally but spending time with him separate from everyone else is a real treat - he can be a very funny dude.

I hope over the next week, you won't mind seeing my Hawaii posts as I'm splitting them up so it's not an all-encompassing photo loader of a post. However, because this serves as my outlet/scrapbook- I do want to show you it ALL from the landscapes to the shoes.

I can't wait to share more this week! Until tomorrow...enjoy work for me because as of right now, unless it comes in a coconut or wears a hula skirt- I want nothing to do with it!

And away we go....

As you read this... I'm currently on a plane to beautiful Hawaii (really, cause I timed this post).

One thing I am proud of, the pink hat below is making it there with me!

{A girl has gotta entertain herself before the trip...Flower: Check! Big, floppy pink hat: Check!}

I'll be back Wednesday but until then - enjoy your week and I can't wait to reconnect when I'm back! I wasn't able to do as much blogging stuff this last week as I would have hoped but I'll be back in action (and tanner) next week. So sorry if I've seemed distant, we haven't grown apart- I promise!

Until then.. I'll be on the beach, with the Boy, in the blazing sun, drinking a Corona, eating Pinapples and loving my life. I'll be in Waikiki for gosh sakes!

Mahalo!

Golden.

It's ridiculous how hard I'm trying to not post about going to Hawaii on Saturday. I know, know, know that once I get back from there next week, I will bombard my blog with Hawaii images so I'm really trying to not discuss it all this week too!

{Gettin' blonder and more and more excited}

But... I must show that I got my hair did and opted for a honey-caramel toning on my slow yet steady trek from brunette to blonde. So this will officially be my Hawaii hair and I must say, the golden highlights instantly make me ready for Summer OR the 80 degree weather I'll experience in Hawaii come Saturday!

Eeeeeeeeeeeee!
Happy Wednesday my darling loverlies.

The Best, The Worst, The Important

Alright, I'm stepping in line with my Sunday night and relaying my thoughts to you on the exciting fashion that abounds at these award shows. And because I just feel better about my life if I do so, the "Best" and "Worst" are respectively retitled with Britney songs.

Front and Center...


I don't know what to say except all of these women look FANTASTIC. Hats off to January especially who killed it.

and... holding up the rear is...

I'm sorry but Jennifer Lopez: you are no longer relevant and your outfits are always horrible (nice makeup though), Halle: You're so pretty, don't need to try so hard!! I think that dress would be better at events that are 9 pm or later and Michelle: what can I say? From head to toe, I literally hate your entire look. Whhhhhy, would you do that to yourself? You look like you auditioned for The Babysitter's Club in about 1993. By far: you looked the worst of the night.

But really, taking off my Joan Rivers hat, today isn't about what someone wore last night. It's about the resonating message left behind by someone who shaped our forever future and who sacrificed his own well being for a cause greater than his own.


On a very small scale, in my life, without his astounding perseverance, I wouldn't have had the luxury to know, meet and love many people of different races who are in my life.

And to that, I say thank you.
thank you to eonline.com for the images with which I made my collages

Unflattering Picture Sunday

What's up: Moments before the ball dropped on NYE and my quirky, amazing friend Jenna and I knew a NYE kiss was not in the cards. I think we decided to capture our feelings of the moment... no boys to kiss but plenty of weird photos to be taken with an old friend. Cheers to that! PS- I need a new strapless bra, ew.

Sidenote Jenna: Our NYE Hug was perfect enough for me!

where are my sundresses?!?

I could write about many things: about what I am doing tonight or this weekend, or how my car broke down on the way to work today and how thankful I am for handy Dads... or even about how I'm really excited to be Blonder on Monday. But I can't really get into that today. Because what really is on my mind is the fact that The Boy booked me on a flight to Hawaii... for a week from Saturday.

That's correcto- next weekend The Boy and I will be flying to Waikiki together to hike, eat, lay and be in PARADISE. I am so excited I can barely think straight. Nothing sounds better than sand, Mai Tais, The Boy and the hot Hawaiian sun.

My main goal now is to find my Summer clothes and get some cute, easy outfits together for the 80 degree weather.
{Note to all: That is not really The Boy's body, shirt or hair. Magic of photo art}

Screw Friday, is it NEXT weekend yet?!?

Throw some Hawaii suggestions at me for Honolulu :)

If Only.

If I had it my way...

Today, rather than processing numerical figures, I would be divinely sipping extravagant caffeine-infused drinks while watching endless amounts of fashion TV and kicking up my heels up in these Christian Louboutin Lady Peep Patent Leather Platform Pumps. I would also gingerly dine on Chicken Piccatta while I cuddle with a 3-legged, rescued puppy. Did I mention I'd be dressed in a ball gown fitting of Kate Middleton? And while we're at it, I would be wearing one of her large-brimmed hats as well.

Today is not a day I have it my way.

Happy Thursday- from the office...

the ducks are still quacking

I don't know if you know (or care) but the Oregon Ducks were in the National Championship last night. That's right, a little town from Orygone made it all the way to the big leagues- note to newscasters from other states: learn how to correctly pronounce the names of what you are talking about - it's OR-E-GEN not ORY-GONE. But I digress...

I am kinda an advocate for my state. I get annoyed with the way we get pigeonholed. We have this really annoying hipster/hippie culture that is just ONE part of us yet, to the world, it seems to be what we're known for. I hate the fact that this new Portlandia show airing will just further the idea to you all around the country that we're nothing but a bunch of lazy, faux-eclectic struggling artists who work at coffee shops and ride our bikes. Not that there's necessarily anything bad with any of those components but when we are only known by them to all- it bothers me. There's a lot here that I love that is far-reaching that stigma: expensive stores, ritzy hotels, fine wine, etc. etc. I do love shopping on the hippie streets now and again (a girl loves her tea and candles...) but that is most certainly NOT the only thing we're about. I only wear fleece when I do something outdoorsy, I wear heels everywhere I go and I hate Hipsters who try to pretend that they're NOT wearing mass-produced stuff. You got your shirt from a thrift store? Try American Apparel, I know what's in their stores but nice try. We're about much more than our reputation implies.
 
Cause guess what? We're about amazing football. That's right, my awesome team in an amazing University I attended made it to the National Championship after an undefeated season. It was an amazing night to gather with my friends who are mostly U of O alum, and cheer on the team for their achievement. In the end, it was sad to watch them lose but I'm proud if for the only reason that now, alongside Hippies and Bikes, we are advertised to the rest of you all as amazing Football teams.

{We were so happy before the game went sour}

And thank you to Krista and Katie for boosting my hopes via Twitter during the game! :)
Go Ducks!

horizontal stripes are my friend

I have a huge butt.

As long as I've been alive, my butt has protruded from my backside with unapologetic force. I remember being a little girl looking in the mirror at the reflection of me in my legging pants and turning to the side to note the large bubble of a butt in contrast to my very flat chest. I remember thinking that once my boobs came in, the proportion of butt to boobs would balance me out. It really didn't. To this day my "B" or "C" boobs (variables include my period, how much/little I work out) do nothing to balance it out and I'm forever doomed to have a huge butt that is large and in charge. What can I say? It runs in the Italian side of my family- my Mom, my Sister, my Cousins, my Aunts, my Nana... all would appeal to Sir Mix-A-Lot.

However, in the same way that I was born with a huge butt, I was also born with a pretty good head on my shoulders about my body. There's a lot that I would change but let me assure you that my imperfect body doesn't make me upset. I long promised myself that I would manage my weight and my body as I wanted by forever working out but that I would always accept certain things that I won't be able to change. It doesn't bother me, it doesn't get me down, I won't be hurt if I am insulted about my physicalities- I make do with what I have. This doesn't mean that I don't drool over celebrities or workout to maintain a certain weight, it means that I know what I am working with because this was the body that I was given. One of the greatest pieces of advice I've ever heard came from the Baz Luhrmann Sunscreen Song.

"Enjoy your body, use it every way you can. Don't be afraid of it or what other people think of it, it's the greatest instrument you'll ever own."
 
And this leads to my outfit on Saturday night for my friend's birthday. I've long been told that horizontal stripes are only friends to the size zeroes and that anyone with bigger accents should run away as fast as they can from this trend.

But what people don't realize is that you don't have to necessarily listen to that. I have loved the black and white skirts that I've seen rocked below. They're awesome. They look chic, they look sexy, they rock these girls' world.

So just because I have a huge butt I can't rock my world with horizontal stripes? No thank you. Maybe I made a huge butt even huger but I also liked the way the skirt looked on me. I loved the contrasting colors and the fit.

Shirt: American Apparel Viscose Dolman Sleeve T found here. Best shirt ever.
Skirt: Forever 21 Fab Knit Rugby Skirt found here.


I loved it and that is why I chose to wear it. Because just like my oversized, unapologetic rear-end, your self-confidence should ALWAYS be larger than life.

Have a fabulous Monday and be sure to watch my Oregon Ducks playing in the BCS Championship tonight! Quack, Quack, Quack!!!