bachelorette weekend in tahoe {1.}...

I have quite a few picture explosion posts planned, being that I took an unofficial blog hiatus and failed to blog about some of the fun things that have been going on. All the way back in April I took a fabulous weekend vacation to Tahoe to celebrate work bff Tania's bachelorette party! We drove up in an insane amount of snow, all in flip flops, and sequestered ourselves in some seriously swanky hotel rooms. One of Tania's bridesmaids, and our fellow coworker, planned our first night. It was a total surprise, no one knew what we were doing. We all got dolled up and ready for a night out, we figured sicknast male strippers would happen. Thankfully, what Shannon planned was way less gross, and SO much fun. Here is the insanity that went down...

Our fabulous bride-to-be! We customized her bachelorette accessories with skulls. Yes, you did read that right. This is one heavy metal bride.

I look like a giant compared to Tania. This is what happens when I throw on some heels. Hell, I am way taller than her in flip flops too. Can we just say she is short?

Taysha, Tania, and Bridesmaid Shannon. These two were behind the shenanigans of this unforgettable night. They are such a blast to be around.

This is Heather, she is another gal that we work with. We were all smiles.

Tania was very upset that she couldn't figure out what the surprise was. This is one girl who hates surprises, but she was such a trooper that night.

Shannon had to basically force Tania through the hotel room door. She was enjoying torturing the bride wayyyy to much. Hey, what are friends for?

The music was pumping, and some stranger was rubbing her bum all over Tania's. Um...is that a pole that I see in the background?

Aaaannnddd the blindfold is off! Is it a female stripper, which is way less gross than a dude, or what? Tania was just relieved is wasn't a random sweaty dude swinging his junk in her face. I was relieved as well, especially when we found out we were all getting stripper lessons!

This is such a smokin' hot picture of Tania. I mean hello! Get. It. Girl.

There I am, getting ready to shimmy and do a peek-a-boo.

Ms. Taysha...she is mid peek-a-boo as well.

Shannon completes the peek-a-boo.

Lin worked that pole like she has been doing it for years! 'Atta girl!

Heather was mid shimmy.

Yup. That just happened.

Tania doing a step-kick slide down the pole. Yes these are all technical terms from our fabulous stripper teacher, Ms. Candy Cane.

Jess is also getting ready to slide down that pole.

After an entire twenty minute routine was learned by all, including straight up spinning around the pole, we were hot sweaty messes. But we still posed for some group shots with our boas.

Another group shot, showing our love to the bride.

Such an amazing group of ladies. Please, do not ask where those bunny ears came from. I honestly have zero clue...

What I loved most about this night, other than the fabulous company, was how this wasn't about being sexy for someone else. The instructor was super professional and awesome, she was all about empowering woman and making us feel hot. Which we did. I would suggest a pole party to anyone out there! Part two of our trip will be up soon!

Happy Monday folks...I want to be back in Tahoe, not back in the office. Le sigh...

xoxo

must have monday {11.}...

It has been quite awhile since I have done a 'Must Have Monday' post! So, since I was not productive at all this weekend I spent a great deal of time window shopping online. However, this time I had a specific purpose and destination for the clothing I was lusting after. In April we are having a bachelorette party extravaganza for work pal Tania! Tania's maid of honor also works with us, and she has planned quite the little party. Only a few work girls are going (which has caused interoffice drama. Hi, I thought we were done with high school) but with the addition of Tania's other pals we are going to have a blast! So, the itinerary includes heading to a swanky hotel in Lake Tahoe, hitting up the shopping, buffets, clubs, and the spa! I am pretty much excited to have a Friday off work, and a fun filled girls only weekend. Now all I need are some cute tops to wear when we head out on the town. I am pretty basic, even when it comes to getting dressed up. So, here are some of the blouses I have been lusting after...

{1.} 'Fizzy Delight Tank'-ModCloth

{2.} 'Well Thought-Out Top'-ModCloth

{3.} 'Capirona Blouse'-Anthropologie
{4.} 'Les Fleurs Rouges Top'-Anthropologie

{5.} 'Stage Presence Vest'-ModClothI am pretty much loving on all of these cute tops. I want/need them right at this very moment. Stay tuned to see which ones I actually bought for our girls trip!

Happy Monday loves!

xoxo

the super fabulous road trip of pure awesomeness {4}...

Do you all remember that one time that Bff Jil and I went on a road trip? No. Well go here, here, and then here and you will be all caught up. So, I figured I would throw up a post with random pictures of our journey...why? Because it's my blog and I do what I want. Most of these are just pictures of the gorgeous scenery. Srsly. The green everywhere was A.Maz.Ing...

Oh heyyy Hooters sign that was located in Portland, Oregon. We embrace the trashy and Hooters is pretty much one of our favorite places to eat. It was too bad we had just eaten when we passed by you...

I think the drive from Port Angeles to Forks was the prettiest out of the whole trip. I cannot count how many times we gasped and/or said, "Oh em gee! It is SO pretty! I want to move here." I can however count how many times we listened to the Glee version of 'Bad Romance'. Let's just say it was over 30...

Just a waterfall that was RIGHT on the side of the road...no big thing...

Seriously. This was what the drive consisted of. One side of the road looked like this...

The other side looked like this. This is Crescent Lake, and yes I am aware that it looks like the sky...but it was just the reflection. The water was SO clear and blue...

We had to snap a 'signature pose' when we stopped alongside the road to take pretty nature pictures. Hollller ginorm sunglasses. Dolce & Gabbana and Jimmy Choo, respectively...

We were going to venture into this little area and act like vampires and snap pictures, but it was cold, kinda looked like it was going to rain, and everything was SO mossy that we knew our flip flop rocking California girl selves would slip and fall. So we just snapped a quick photo and bounced outta that piece...

I think this is my favorite picture of the entire trip, and that is really saying something because I have a picture of me groping Cardboard Edward's junk. I am pretty sure if Bff Jil and I could have dug this tree up, we would have strapped it to the roof of her Tahoe and brought it back to Cali with us. It is freaking gorgeous...

In one of the 45,000 'Twi-Shoppes' they had this map where people had stuck pins in, ya know to show how dedicated they are to the world of Twilight. Let me tell you...people are freaking ded.i.cated. I mean going to forks from New Zealand? Um...that is an intense breed of fangirl...

Last but not least a final picture of Bff Jil and myself...and our sunglasses. What is the lesson learned from all of the road trip posts? Go on a road trip with your best friend, it will be a blast...

xoxo

the super fabulous road trip of pure awesomeness {3}...

Finally the piece de resistance of all of the road trip posts! Click here for posts #1 & #2, and catch yourself up on the best road trip to ever occur. So, what was the goal of 'operation drive a bazillion miles, in the pouring freaking rain, on streets with highly inappropriate names'? Well, it was to finally reach our destination of Port Angeles/Forks/La push. Obvi. So, we stayed the night in the cutest city also know as Port Angeles then drove the HOUR to Forks (pretty sure S. Meyer lied about how long/boring that drive is...or maybe the drive would have seemed like it was only ten minutes long had Edward been driving us and we could have been preoccupied with his stone cold glittery foxy self).

After the hour long drive, 6 or 7 road rage outbursts from Bff Jil, and listening to The Twilight Saga Soundtracks...we finally made it to Forks, Washington. Holler. Be prepared...there are about a bazillion pictures in this post. Enjoy...

I would love to go on and on about how delish the mushroom ravioli was at the restaurant that was the location of Edward and Bella's first date...but the menu didn't look all that appetizing. We were bad Twilight fans and went to Downriggers for round two and had scrumptious seafood. Don't judge us...

You best believe Bff Jil and I went and chatted up the ladies who pretty much know all things Twilight. They gave us maps and everything so we could commence our own little solo tour of Twi-World...

Also, since it was just a two person road trip adventure...there are many pictures of Bff Jil and I doing the exact same thing...one of her...and then one of me. We should have trailed some cute boy along with us to do all our picture taking business...

Why no, we did NOT find a boy to schlep around and take our picture all day long. But Bff Jil has some serious brains and pulled her big ol' Tahoe up as close to the sign as possible, balanced my camera in the window, set the ten second timer, and then hauled ass up the little hill so we could snap this photographic gem...

We then of course had to snap solo pictures of ourselves with the glorious welcome to Forks sign. This is Bff Jil...

and this is me, myself, and I...

We then ventured to one of the 75 Twilight stores that are located in the lovely Forks, Washington. We had to pick up some souvenirs for our friends who were not able to come on the trip with us...and to pose with Edward...

Or in my case...to molest the cardboard Edward cutout. Don't judge me. He enjoyed every single second of it...*ahem*...

Bff Jil found another Edward while in Forks (srsly. homeboy is EVERYWHERE all the time in those parts). She was giving him a lil' smooch...

After we found 'Edward' and photographed him to death, we began our self-guided tour through the ginormous metropolis known as Forks. Which started with visiting Bella's truck, which was SO not her truck. This truck was too nice and totally RED...pretty sure Bella's actual truck is beat to hell and kinda orangish...

I am pretty sure that Jil was thisclose to refusing to pose with the truck because it was so NOT legit...then she got over it and slapped a smile on her face so I could snap a quick picture. Say cheese...

Apparently this is Bella's house. See there is even a little sign that says 'Home of the Swans'. But this is not really her house (fakers)...it is some other people's house who don't mind allowing thousands of Twilight fans to take pictures of their home, as long as you don't go in their yard. Pretty sure that is a shanking offense or something...

Next stop was the Forks Hospital...where Carlisle works. Yeah, he does so work there. We have proof...

We also have almost identical poses in these pictures. Odd. Oh, and Dear Guys Who Were In The Building Where This Sign Hangs, we totally heard you making fun of us. Shut your faces. Love, Me...

We then ventured on over to Forks High, pulled over with the quickness in front of this sign, jumped out, snapped a picture of me...

snapped a picture of Bff Jil, and then ran like morons back to the car that we left running, and booked it. Why the mad photo dash? We were completely worried that the high schoolers would judge us for posing in front of their school...

Oh hiiiiii, The Cullen's (faux) household. Okay, really Forks?! Is this the best home you could come up with? I mean the Cullens are freaking loaded...you best believe their casa is like something you would see on MTV Cribs (whoa. i just made myself feel old)...

Isn't that Esme just a doll? She even left a sweet little note just for Bff Jil and I...

Then it was time for two fierce members of Team Edward to cross the infamous treaty line and venture into wolf territory. Things could get a little dicey folks...

Things did get dicey. As soon as we passed the sign for La Push it started to get way windy...and then the rain began. We were SO not feeling the rain, but being the stellar Twilight fans that we are we continued on...

Bff Jil snapped this because, and I quote, "Meh. That looks like it is high enough it may have almost-killed Bella when she jumped, yeah?" Um...yeah....

La Push was actually super pretty. I mean it was nicer then Forks...and the ocean was beautiful. But like I said, it was raining, we were not in the mood to walk along the beach in the rain, wearing flip flops, so we parked the car...

Snapped a photo of me, freezing my arse off...

and one of Bff Jil, freezing her arse off...

With that our trip to Forks/La Push was done. We booked it back to Port Angeles and spent the rest of the day eating, shopping, and going to see 'Sex & The City 2'. It was legit my friends...okay actually it was kind of a let down (we did the entire tour in less than an hour) and slightly ghetto BUT it was still a blast! I would recommend y'all making the trip up there if you ever get the chance!

xoxo