Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Life Planner Available!

Do you find yourself bored and lacking quality entertainment and culture in your life?

Are you sick of going to the same old smelly bar for happy hour?

Are you clueless when it comes to things like fine dining and wine tasting, but you want to learn more about it?

Are you looking to adjust your style and attitude to catch that special guy or girl?

Do you want to plan a weekend out of the city, but don't know where to go or how to get there?

DO YOU NEED A LIFE PLANNER?

If you answered yes to any or all of these questions, I'm the lady for you! Not only do I have ample experience in event planning and trip organizing, but I can also give you some every day tips to make your life less boring! From happy hour to outdoor exercise to hidden parks, I've got your afternoon planned! Want to have a great home-cooked meal but don't know how to make toast? I've got the personal chef for you! And if you're the type that likes to be waited on, I am your own personal yelp system. And in a city like this, be sure not to miss out on trips to the theater, concerts, and museums! Or get out of the city and take a ride up to wine country or the mountains and lakes! Let's not forget about the simple luxuries like shopping and spas; glam yourself up to get the attention of your crush! Even the simple act of using exclamation marks in your every day writing adds a little excitement to your life!

I know what you're thinking, money is an issue. And in this day's economy, you're probably right. But who cares about cost when fun is priceless! Want to know why rich people are so bored with themselves all the time? Because they need a life planner to spend their money the right way! If this sounds like you, contact me and we'll set up your first consultation. Sit back, relax, hand over your credit card and let me do the work.

Seriously though, I don't like working with a budget and I charge a steep commission so don't contact me if you're broke.

Thursday, June 25, 2009

What ever happened to Friday?

As my weekend agenda has began to unfold, I'm starting to realize that I rarely ever make Friday night plans anymore. By the time Thursday rolls around, I am nearly crawling the walls with anxiousness for the weekend to begin, that I forget that I have to work the next day.

The last three Thursdays, I've gone out drinking into the wee hours of the night, only to wake up with a full day of painfully boring work ahead of me. Not to mention an excruciating hangover that can be somewhat remedied by a greasy breakfast, which only makes me feel worse a few hours later. I end up having to cancel my Friday Happy Hour plans because the thought of alcohol at 5pm makes me wretch, and all I want is to get home and indulge in a stoned nap. If I'm lucky, I get myself out of bed by 8, shower, and out of the house by 9. But I usually don't even make it passed midnight, when my level of intoxication combats with my desire to fall asleep at the bar. But by Saturday I manage to sleep until 10am (if I'm not awaken earlier by my lively roommates or my internal alarm clock), squeeze a yoga class in, then head to the park for some weekend relaxation. As soon as 6pm hits, I'm ready to rage again (that is, if I haven't already had an early start at the park or at a neighborhood BBQ). Most Saturday's I can make it until at least 2am, which is when the bars close in San Francisco (I know all you New Yorkers and Chicagoans are smirking right now). The best nights are when I'm strolling home and all the bodegas are already closed and the street is so empty that you would think I'm in the middle of a scene from 28 Days Later. Then I know I've accomplished a good night out.

I suppose it works out rather well this way, because I get a day in between each night of drunken stupor to regain my energy. If only I could find some way to balance it all out; if only I only had to go to work every other day. Then the world would be a perfect place.

Monday, June 15, 2009

Camping in style

This past weekend I went with two of my girlfriends on a little 3.5 hour road trip up to Mendocino, a beautiful area with Redwoods, campground, hiking, beaches, and of course wine tasting. Really can't get any better than that.

I booked a great camp site months ago (Site #25 - I recommend it) in the Russian Gulch State Park, off of Route 1 about 15 miles from Hwy 128. Our site was located on the bend of this stream that lined the campground, right between the toilets and the showers. The space to put our tents was right next to the stream, shaded by a big tree which offered mucho privacy (especially nice for couple camping). The ground came with a fire pit, lock box, picnic table, and parking spot - pretty standard for most car camping sites. We stayed for two nights and woke up each morning to the sounds of birds chirping, water rippling, and the occasional laughing or screaming child (apparently this came ground is also great for families with small children).

On Saturday, after having some breakfast and a couple early morning Bud Lights, we put on our sundresses and hopped in the car to drive a half hour south for some wine tasting. All the wine tasting in Navarro county is free, with the exception of 4 or 5 places (whom charge $10 max). This not only makes for a cheap day, but it gives you a much more relaxed mentality that you certainly won't get in Napa or St. Helena. Our first stop was Roderer, where we sampled some sparking wine and got the evil eye a couple times from the pourer. Needless to say, the wine was decent but the service lacked. Next we drove about 30 feet to Husch, which was one of the very first wineries established in the county. They operate out of a little cabin with some tables out back, and they offer many wines that are only available in the tasting room, including their T-Bud Dry Cuvee Gewurztraminer and Old Vine Zinfandel (both of which I couldn't resist purchasing). They also have a fantastic Chardonnay and some very nice Pinot Noirs (FYI: the entire valley is known for producing sweet whites like Riesling and Gewurztraminer, but also for their bold and fruity Pinot Noirs. This mainly has to do with the cooler climate that is caused by their proximity to the ocean, but for more information click here). We also stopped at Navarro Vineyards, which features a list of 14+ wines to choose from, and you can even taste all of them if you want, FOR FREE! They also have a nice little picnic area to bring some cheese and bread to munch on. Our next stop was a little young winery called Toulouse. It rests on top of the hill, with great views of the mountains and valley, and some excellent wines to taste, including a delicious Rose Pinot Noir, and a 2006 Pinot Noir that makes licorice taste like chocolate when you consume them together. Our last stop was Goldeneye, which is a "fancy" little spot by the same team the produces Duckhorn and Paraduxx in Napa Valley. We sat on their outdoor patio and grazed with some cheese and currants, before taking a walk through the vineyard. The sun was shining and the wine was flowing! Though Goldeneye charges for their tastings, it's totally worth it.

After chowing down on some sandwiches to soak up the day's alcohol intake, we rode back to the campground for some more relaxation. I was in charge of the fire pit for the weekend, and I did a pretty damn good job. I learned how to build a fire from my ex-boyfriend on my last camping trip and I must say it definitely came in handy for this one. My fire rocked! We cooked up some ground turkey and veggie burritos and some grilled veggies and had a little outdoor feast, complete with whiskey and apple juice - my favorite camping beverage. After some card games, star gazing and chit chat, we headed to our tents for another night of slumber in the great outdoors.

After cleaning up the site the next morning, we went on a long hike through the back of the camp grounds. We hiked to the top of a mountain, filled with century-old Redwood trees, purple flowers, and some narrow pathways. Once we reached the top, we descended into a beautiful waterfall, where we took a rest and fed some Cheez-its to a fatty chipmunk. All-in-all, a great hike to cap off a fantastic sunny weekend. If you have an interest in wine, or you just like to camp and be in a serene environment - definitely make the trip to Mendocino this summer.

Friday, June 5, 2009

Gems

Most Gemini creatures are pretty extreme in their astrological qualities. And if you don't fall in line with the zodiac sign, then I feel sorry for you. What makes the Gemini sign so cool is that it's the sign of the Twin, which means we have an astrological excuse to switch into bitch-mode whenever we want to.

I'm a super Gemini. So much so, that I tattooed this symbol on my the back of my left shoulder right around my 21st Birthday when I was studying in Brighton, England. Just to name a few positive qualities; popularity, wit, sharp humor, great thinkers, playfulness, determination, sincerity. Gemini's also pick up on other people's qualities very easily, and can quickly wrap our head around an idea that others may find perplexing.

However, with these excellent attributes come several pitfalls. We're easily distracted, and can get bored quickly with an idea after it is no longer new. We are also competitive with the same sex, and can be manipulative when it comes to maneuvering relationships with the opposite sex. But really, who doesn't play games?

With my birthday coming up next week, I find that this is my peak Gemini time. All of my qualities come through in even stronger ways than usual, and all the signs are aligned for good things to happen.

If you're a fellow Gemini, than you know what I'm talking about. And if you're of a different zodiac sign, than you're probably just insanely jealous right now. Did I mention that Gemini's also have a problem with being modest? ;-)

Tuesday, June 2, 2009

Detox 101

This week I am doing some detox for the sake of my liver. I'm pretty sure I have been doing some non-stop partying since Cinco de Mayo (though my college friend insists it's been since September 2003), and it's time I gave myself a little break.

I've done the lemon cleanse a couple of times - you know, the one where you drink nothing but three 32 ounce bottles of water mixed with lemons, grade B Maple syrup, and cayenne pepper all day long. Well if you don't know, let me tell you it's simply delicious and so much fun (heavy sarcasm). Actually, it does kind of taste like Gatorade after a while, but I don't know if that's a good thing. Anyway, you're supposed to drink this stuff for 10 days, but I've only ever made it to four and then the desire to chew something really kicks in and I have to quit. It does make you feel great though, so I would recommend trying it if you feel the need to cleanse yourself. It works especially well if you're starting a new diet.

If you don't feel like starving yourself, you can do a fruit and veggies fast for a couple of days. This works especially well if you have a juicer or blender so that you can make some tasty beverages. Just leave out the booze because unfortunately liquor is not included in any sort of detoxification process. Same goes for nicotine, marijuana, sleeping pills, and any other thing you have stashed in your special drawer.

It's also good to throw in some exercise to keep your energy levels up. I would recommend working out in the morning before work, so your energy lasts throughout the day and you have the rest of the afternoon to relax and get to bed early. Lots of sleep is really important when you're detoxing, and probably just in life in general. And drinking lots and lots and lots of water is good because it makes you pee a lot which flushes out all the toxins.

Most of you probably know all of this already because a lot of it is common sense. And if this is the first time you've even thought about the idea of detoxing, well you probably need more professional help than anything you're going to get from me...