...the right stuff

In the battle of the concerts between NKOTBSB and Britney Spears, NKOTBSB won it hands freaking down. They out danced, performed and sang circles around her - it was such a good show. While I swore I managed my expectations when we were going to see her this time around after Circus, I still wasn't wowed. Ok - I know she doesn't sing, I get that but there were enough lasers and kick ass background dancers to hide the fact that she doesn't do a whole lot besides walking and hair flips.

But that still didn't stop me from singing along to every song......

view from our seats

Slavvveeee for youuuuu

I saw them in 2008 when my friends and I surprised a friend with tickets for her birthday and I'm sooooo glad I didn't miss out on it again this year with Michelle, Suzanne and Jess. We all sang our hearts out to both groups and who knew I would remember so many of the Backstreet Boys songs. They sang all their hits and pulled girls up on stage to one song where one of them was excited to be up there and the others looked like deers in headlights. I'm talking nervous shaking and no smiling! If only we would've been on the floor...... but we were lucky enough to get upgraded to a lower section - woo hoo!

Opening sequence

all together again

yeah nick carter

Jordan is still my favorite

hangin' tough in sparkly jerseys

Finale - what a freaking blast!

busy with a capital B

So I don't have this crazy and wild weekend of activities to share but I do have one hell of a busy week ahead of me. As usual, I enjoyed the ridiculously hot weather outside and then had dinner at Ballantine with friends and saw Horrible Bosses. Ever since the BF saw previews and the extended trailer, I knew this would be the next movie we saw even though I'm all about Ryan Gosling and his abs in Crazy Stupid Love. Oh my god - I can't wait.

I was mentally preparing myself for what will be a hectic and loonnnnng (but very exciting) week. On Tuesday, I head to Britney Spears to basically listen to her album played through the Q's sound system where she will dance and lipsynch her way through my favorite pop songs.

Complete with screened t-shirts for the Circus tour

Post concert, I'm meeting up with high school friends who I haven't seen in months and some who I haven't seen in a year, but I'll take the lack of sleep anytime to hang out with this group of friends.

On Wednesday, I'll be back at the Q with Michelle and Suzanne to dance our asses off to New Kids on the Block and Backstreet Boys, but I think we all agree we are more pumped to hear Step by Step and Hangin' Tough. (Although, seriously I will sing at the top of my lungs to I Want it That Way any time. You want to karaoke - I'm there.)     

Oh Joey McIntyre circa 2008

Group shot

By Thursday, I'll be sleep deprived and possibly deaf from the loud music but I'll have to rally together to take my brother for dinner after he completed his bar exam. Two days and 12 hours of testing later, I think he deserves a dinner out, don't you?

Good luck, Greg!

And, it will be the weekend before I know it. Here's to a full week!                                                                                

summa summa time

This weekend finally felt like it took the right amount of time because normally I find my weekends flying by between cookouts, parties and pool days. For once, I had to remember what we did on Friday night, which isn't a bad thing at all.

Friday night we were acting 10 years older than we actually are and had a drinking game night with friends where I kicked some serious a** at mexican dominos. It's all about the domino that you start your train with my friends....

the game that brings grown men to tears

strategizing with a baby and a beer

A few of my friends joined me at Made in the 216 held at the new Dredger's Union on E.4th but not before brunch at Vine & Bean in Shaker as a way to kick start our Saturday with omelettes, biscuits and coffee. Because nothing says breaking your diet like the biscuits with gravy but it is so damn good!

After seeing all the checkins from my fellow bloggers, I was dying to see the new store and check out what the private label looked like. From the tailored shirts and dresses I saw, ranged from $60 to $90 but fit really nice and I was sooooo close to buying a shirt but I stopped myself. It had my name written all over it so I'm hoping they have it available later this month.

Lia checking out the jewelry

My purchase

amazing candles displayed on a piece of furniture we all want

not your grandmother's apron

Sunday funday was lazy which included a car wash and laying out while reading the second book in the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo series. Editor's note: I can't put those books down. We finished up the night by taking a ride to Chagrin Falls to wait in line for Jeni's Ice cream - it was jamming down there for a Sunday night complete with a kid rock band, lots of bikers and dogs.

Monday - Bring it on.

Summer Bucket List

With every summer comes a busy weekends filled with weddings. For the past four years, we've seriously had no fewer than five weddings, one summer we had 10 (some on Friday and Saturday of the same weekend) and this year from March to November we have eight to attend for friends and family. So, our weekends are filled with weddings or travel to weddings and nursing our hangovers from the weddings.

BUT.....

There are a few items I'd like to cross off my list this summer of places to go and things to do.

• Indians game - The BF and I went to a few last year but it has to be the right night because I don't want it to be a scorcher. Me + heat = not friends.

• A trip to East Harbor Beach - My aunt used to take me with her and I remember it being a nice beach. Could be a great way to relax on a Friday and read a few books.

• Read 8 books this summer - I've been keeping a laundry list of books to read including the Dragon Tattoo series along with Matt Logelin's Two Kisses for Maddie too.

• Night up at Put-in-Bay - Last year, I had a bachelorette party up there and it was a blast. Thinking about getting some friends and heading up there for the night again.
• Patio drinking - I would like to try some new restaurants and sit on the patios while drinking sangria or wine or visit a few favorites.  Places on my list - Reddstone, Dante, Market, and Metro Bar and Kitchen just to name a few. (Update: Apparently Metro is closed. Shows how often I'm down there.)
• Cookouts, pools and cornhole - Nothing says summer like a good tan, cookouts and cornhole games with friends

What are you doing this summer?

family ties

Family weddings are always an interesting time. Every family is crazy and if you disagree, then you must be the crazy one. After all these years, I fully embrace my family and extended group of family friends. They are who they are, and I wouldn't have it any other way.

This past Saturday, we gathered together to celebrate my cousin's wedding and it was the first family wedding on my mom's side. So, it was a big deal. I was asked to read and apparently I was huffing into the microphone and sounded like a phone sex operator. If it's any consolation, before I got up to read I was having a coughing attack and was considering telling the alter boy to go get me a glass of water, but I didn't, and ended up sounding like a man in front of a few hundred strangers. Only me.

the couple during the ceremony

with the bf

a little game called tie limbo my brother likes to play at weddings, only this time it didn't work out so well

My camera failed to catch other moments like the best man speech, when my cousin announced that his brother owned a stuff animal named "papa bunny," where, at that point, I thought the groom would jump over the table to grab the mic away from him. I also missed my brother trying to sway not one but three different girls and in the end he went home alone, sleeping in my hotel room because his roommate locked him out of their room. And, finally, I have to give a shout-out to Keith, a faithful reader, who said he likes my posts. And, even has his favorites. So, Keith here's to Bryan, him beating out my brother and to hill billies. After all, we are from Lorain County, right?

a bride kind of weekend....

I was an exceptional friend this weekend. A kick butt friend, if you will.

On Friday, I jetted over to Put-in-Bay to celebrate Gretchen's bachelorette party with a group of great girls.

the house of fun


the group trying to pull off the college shotgun


me with the bride #1, Gretchen


We started off the night at the bonfire and then we decided to go downtown to finish off the night. For those of you who have never been to Put-in-Bay as an adult, it's quite the entertaining island. Someone referred to it as the midwest Vegas but others also call it white trash central. I'm not sure what it is, but the guys are straight up strange when they reach that island.

As I started a dance party to "Just Dance," a group of guys joined us on stage at the end of the song and I looked to the kid to my right and made the comment that he wasn't even 21.

He says, "Oh no, I'm 25."
Me: "Yea, right, you are only 20!"
Young boy: "No, here's my license."
Me: "OK, let me see it."
Young idiot boy: "Ok, if I prove my age, can I have a kiss?"

Cue laughter from four girls and a story I've shared with several people.

The next day, we hung out at the pool until I had to come back to Cleveland, take a power nap and be downtown Cleveland for other bachelorette party.

Wowza.

As I got to bride #2's house, the festivities were in full swing and I barely made it to catch the party bus.

The bride with our great party planner


a night downtown cleveland isn't complete without a picture with Ice T and Coco's rear


a group shot (well, part of the group)


Luckily, our fist pumping action to "Call on Me" wasn't caught on film or the random, sporadic dancing (seriously, I can't dance) or the chowdown in Panini's at the end of the night.

Let's hope this weekend is a bit more tame with a family wedding on Saturday.

summa summa-time

Hello Summer!

This weekend I experienced two of my favorite activities of summer: laying out and parties. Nothing says summer than laying out and jumping off a diving board or two.

On Friday, a friend and I headed to our local city pool. I was so lucky to live in an apartment building with a pool for the last few years. It was actually a requirement when looking for places to live. If I can, I spend every weekend at the pool, relaxing and reading. I live for those days.

My friend and I knew it would be packed on a Friday afternoon, but we didn't quite expect the amount of kids that were actually in the pool. As we entered the pool, we literally stopped in our tracks and both said some version of "holy shit" at the same time. Kids were everywhere. Every age. Every size. They were were everywhere in front of us yelling, crying and screaming.



Told you they were everywhere. I learned a very valuable lesson while at the pool and it had nothing to do with raising children.

It had to do with tattoos. I have never seen more ugly tattoos in one place in my life. There were tramp stamps, old ragged roses on ankles, Italian flags on shoulders and biceps, Jesus covering one man's entire back with a patch of colorful daises to the right of his feet and all sorts of other terribly etched ink.

Note to self: think long and hard on the placement if I ever get a tattoo.

On Saturday, the BF and I participated in our first ever block party. We were the "new neighbors" and we met several new people.




Of course, we were asked if we were engaged or married but actually only by one person. That's some kind of record. The focus was less on us but rather on an interesting neighbor who appeared to be quite sloshed at 6 p.m. She had two dogs with her and one was a puppy running circles around everyone. She lovingly referred to as a "f-cker" then as "f-cko."

This neighborhood sure is interesting to say the least.

gone til August

Sometime in the spring, the BF and I decided we wanted to take a trip to Chicago sometime this summer. We have several friends that live there and we wanted an expensive trip away like we did when we went to Boston in the fall.

We are so busy. I looked ahead at our schedules and seriously until Aug. 8 is the first weekend we don't have something already planned.

Wonder what is taking up all our time?

You guessed it - weddings, showers and bachelorette parties. Now to all my lovely friends who read this and whose party I'm attending, there's no need to get mad. I appreciate you and can't wait to attend your wedding/shower/party, but I'm also allowed to share that my weekends revolve around these festive occasions.

They truly do.

Years ago, I remember when all my summers contained was the sun, the beach and a few cocktails. I still try to lay out as much as I can but I find that my summer flies by so incredibly fast. In Cleveland, I treasure my summer because it means sunshine and warm weather, something I otherwise don't experience a lot of in this climate.

However, we are planning a couple's vacation to Puerto Vallarta for the end of September.

Ahhhhhhh, serenity now.

there goes my pool time...

Dear Summer,

Hi. It's me. Just a female fan of yours. I know you only like to show your shining self during the months of May through September and leave us with your enemies for the rest of the year.

It would be terrific if you could turn that frown upside down and show the north east Ohio region some sunshine. If it's not today, then please reconsider your weekend plans because it looks as though we will be experiencing the same type of behavior longer than just today.

Thanks,
Allison

for the love of summer

Living in Cleveland, everyone knows we get pounded with snow in the winter and grey clouds in the spring. It's no California, but we do have our bright spots in weather.

Summer.

Summer is what I live for. Give me a pool, a sunny 82 degree weather with a light breeze and a good book, and you have yourself one happy Allison. I love nothing more than spending one or both days of my weekend lounging by my pool. Although with this weekend's forecast, I don't think I'll be there at all which is kind of a bummer.

Here are my other loves of summer:

A delicious caprese salad with fresh heirloom tomatoes, mozzarella cheese with a balsamic drizzle.

Freshly sliced watermelon

Seamless underwear to go under jersey knit dresses to avoid lines.

Good old-fashioned cookouts with hotdogs and beer

Competitive cornhole games that go well past midnight and need a spotlight to finish

80 degree weather with a slight breeze. I can't stand humidity (I don't know who really can) but if I had 80 degree weather every day, that would be the perfect summer.

Flat irons. When you have humidity, this helps with the frizzy hair add a little Aveda paste and you are good to go.

What are your favorite things about summer?

Festival Fun

I heart festivals in the summer time. We have the Feast in Little Italy, the Amherst Jamboree and many more.

St. Clare's Festival


My friends and I kicked off the summer with a funnel cake, cornhole and keg beer on Saturday. My friend Michelle and I were looking forward to the freaking funnel cake all week long. I'm sorry to say that it was the worst funnel cake of all time.

How can you mess that up? It's fried batter! That's it!



We left the carnival for a second and we find all the boys playing this knockout game. We had been gone for at least 30 minutes, come back and stood there laughing at the boys trying to win Casper. Seventy-five dollars and some bargaining later, Mike walked away with the prize.



Mike and Michelle drinking with Casper