Saturday, May 3, 2014

Music

Hey Guys!

I just read that Beyonce and Jay-Z would be touring together this summer. I'm so excited!!! It got me thinking about all of the concerts I've been to. Hmm.... My first was in the 5th grade. My mom took me to a Salt-n-Pepa show. It was wonderful. I fell in love with live music. I'm mostly a hip hop chick, but I've ventured out. I really enjoy a Summer Jam or Rock the Bells type show. You get to see so many groups/bands that you may not have normally seen.

Some of my favorites have been:
  • Wu-Tang
  • Beyonce

With my girls after the Beyonce show


  • The Roots
  • Snoop Dogg
  • The Game
  • Raphael Saadiq
  • Janet Jackson
  • Prince


There are so many shows I hope to catch this year.


I'm really looking forward to all the great live must. Anyone going to any of these shows in California?
Look out for me :)

ticketmaster.com

 XOXO

Friday, May 2, 2014

Finally Got Lei'd


Aloha!

I was fortunate enough to spend a week on the beautiful beach of Waikiki on the island of Oahu. Let me just say it was AMAZING!!! I’ve always felt like Hawaii was a place I’d like to go but not on the top of my list. I live in So Cal and have my whole life. What the big deal??? I’m dumb. Hawaii is the shit. Even though its in the U.S. its like a different world.  Unlike the beaches I’m use to Waikiki is clean.  No candy wrappers and condoms to get stuck to the bottom of your flip flop. The water is the most beautiful deep blue and WARM.
Watched my mom get lei'd 



One major complaint I always hear was how expensive everything on the island is. Again, I live in California. Can anyplace be more expensive??? I was still concerned that I would need to save up for spending money so I knew I didn’t want to blow the bank on a flight or hotel.

First thing I did was sign up for a airfarewatchdog.com This site is cool. It tracks flight prices and factors in past flight price history and alerts you when you purchase your flight. The site couldn’t be more on point.  The average round trip cost for a coach flight was about $500. We almost caved and bought a weekend special for $349. I follow the site and I waited. Then BAM the price dropped to $225. SCORE!!!! My mom and her friend were also going on the trip so she covered the room cost by using her timeshare.

Me & Catherine 


Next, what would we do in Hawaii? While searching different travel websites and yelp I came up with a list of things I wanted to do while on the trip. I also requested everyone else send me their list.  We all pretty much listed the same things:

  1. Hike Diamond Head
  2. Eat Shaved Ice
  3. Go to a Luau
  4. North Shore
  5. Go out in a boat
  6. Get Lei’d
  7. Snorkel with the Sea Turtles
  8. Sanrio (Hello Kitty) Café
  9. Helicopter Ride
  10. Rent Scooters
Day 1 in Hawaii and Catherine already blends in. Can you see that turtle?


While I was searching for discount travel deals I found out about the GO Card.  The GO Card is and all-inclusive attraction pass. Once I researched it we could do most of the things we had planned by using the card. Even better I discovered that Costco.com sold the card at an even better discount. We decided to purchase the 3 day card and I began to make the reservations. Some days we had 2 activities booked. Once it was all said and done we saved about $300 each by using the GO Card. We did everything from our list except for the helicopter ride. We spent the other 4 days exploring and relaxing on the beach.

It was a wonderful trip. The weather was perfect. My tan was on point. The food at Zippy’s was my favorite and I gained 5lbs from our daily "samplings" from the Honolulu Cookie Co. My best friend/travel partner loved it so much she went back for her wedding. Can’t wait to go back to the friendly locals and perfect temperature. 

Anyone else enjoy Hawaii and much as I did?

Here's the rundown of everything we did and LOVED 
Using the Go Card:
Me and the Captain :)

Diamond Head Hike

Too sweaty for a full face selfie

All Day Bus Voucher
Scooter Rental

Other must see/do while in Oahu:
Aloha Swap meet  (great souvenir shopping)
ABC Stores (a little bit of everything without breaking the bank)
Buy a inflatable raft and spend an afternoon floating in the warm Waikiki water
People watch while riding the trolley 
Have a cocktail at the Top of Waikiki 

Beware: Ladies don't go out walking on Kuhio or Kalakaua Ave dressed too revealing or you might get get mistaken for a working girl. We got a few whistles. 


XOXO

















Tuesday, April 29, 2014

My Bucket List



Here's my Bucket List:
  • Start my own business
  • Start a blog
  • Start my own non profit
  • Travel to all 50 states and do something cool in each state
  • Celebrate New years in:
  • NYC
  • Las Vegas
  • New Orleans
  • Paris
  • Stay at The Waldorf Astoria Hotel (I love Coming to America)
  • Take the  Sex and the city tour in NYC
  • Buy a pair of Manolo Blaniks
  • Attend Carnival in Spain
  • Go to Mardi Gras
  • Attend the New Mexico Hot Air Balloon Festival
  • Ride in a hot air balloon
  • Ride a motorcycle
  • Ride a Segway
  • Learn to surf
  • Cliff Dive
  • Parachute
  • Go to the Moulin Rouge in Paris
  • Fold a 1,000 origami cranes
  • Go on a meditation retreat
  • Experience an OBE (out of body experience)
  • Start a social movement
  • See cherry blossoms in Japan
  • Fly first class
  • Fly in a helicopter
  • Go on a cruise
  • See snow fall from the sky
  • Swim with sharks
  • Act in a film
  • Get featured on TV/radio/print/newspapers (not for bullshit)
  • Live in my dream home
  • Plant a tree
  • Complete a 5k (2013)



  • Get a make over
  • Learn to appreciation wine
  • Complete a 10k (2013)



  • Take up dancing
  • Get a personal trainer
  • Try Yoga
  • Try Pilates
  • Climb a mountain
  • Go on Safari
  • Get published  
  • Visit all the Wonders of the World
  • Trace my Japanese roots
  • Complete a half marathon (2013)



  • Buy a Louis Vuitton purse
  • Visit Sistine Chapel
  • Visit Greece
  • Jog the Great Wall
  • Visit the Amazon
  • Visit Bryce Canyon (this one’s for you L. King)
  • Visit Victoria Falls
  • Go on a Safari
  • Be on TV
  • Volunteer at an elephant preserve
  • Sleep in an igloo
  • Eat lunch on the steps of the Metropolitan Museum of Art
  • Sit on the floor at a Laker Game
  • Meet Michael Jordan
  • Cheer someone on completing a marathon
  • Try the trapeze
  • Tightrope walk
  • Protest something
  • Go to the White House
  • Create an app
  • Read the whole Bible
  • Feed the homeless
  • Help someone in need
  • Be debt free

What's on your Bucket List?




Monday, April 28, 2014

Mother's Day $

Mother's Day $$

Mother's Day $$$

Sunday, April 27, 2014

Welcome Y'all


When I was a young, I was certain of how my life would turn out. Have a serious boyfriend in high school. Move in together after graduation. Get engaged sometime in college. Be married by 21 and start a family at 23.

Young Me

 Well…. A few of my plans actually did happen. I had that serious boyfriend, moved to San Diego together and even got engaged. I also dropped out of college and became a sad miserable person. Thankfully that ended at the age of 22.
 I spent the next few years “maturing” before my next serious relationship. I again jumped into moving in with this boyfriend. This time it was began strictly for financial reasons and then turned into a loooooong ass roommate situation that lasted about 4 years too long. That ended at 28. After that relationship I really did mature. I didn’t date. I began to live for me. Not in a self centered type of way, but I really started to focus on what my life goals were. I always knew I wanted to be a better Christian, get in shape, be financially responsible, buy a house, find the right man and start that family I planned for at 21,but this time as a person I would be proud to be. Don’t get me wrong I was never a “bad” person. I’ve always known right from wrong. I was just so unsure of myself and had a low self worth. I can’t really pinpoint exactly when the switch was turned on. Actually, it was more like a dimmer switch. When expectantly lost my grandma something changed in me. It was so heartbreaking. I never thought of not having her in my life. One day she was just gone. I saw how some family members carried guilt from what I perceived as taking advantage. That will really fuck a person up. To never get the chance to say “Thank You” or “ I’m Sorry” will eat a person alive. I didn’t have that at all. I miss her like crazy but DAMN did we have some fun times. That really put things in perspective for me as how I wanted to live my life. For me losing my grandma helped to shape me in a positive way. If I had lost my grandpa first I would have been that person feeling guilty for making him pick me up around the corner from school because I was embarrassed of his truck or for all the times I complained about him taking over the TV and forcing us to watch C-SPAN. Losing her first helped me get my shit together.

My Grandparents

 The first New Years without her my Resolution was to keep moving forward. I think I must have got that idea from Oprah. It was the BEST.


 You know when you get that late night call/text from that one ex. It always makes you think back on those awesome times you had together and forget about the times he had you feeling like crap. Well with my resolution I wouldn’t even allow my brain to go there. I would shut it down before I even considered allowing myself to be someone’s “booty call”.  It was much more then that. I stopped holding a grudge. If I didn’t like you in the past I would leave it in the past. Slowly but surely I grew up.


 Now I’m a 31-year-old single woman. I have been focusing on crossing some things off my Bucket List and this blog is one.

 

Welcome New Friends 




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