I can't believe I've officially been in LA for a whole year! Oh how time flies!
I hope everybody had an awesome Labor Day weekend! I know I sure loved having that extra day to relax and hang out with friends!
Even though the weekend was pretty laid back, I still managed to do a lot!
My favorite part about living in a big city is getting to try new things - especially restaurants! So this weekend I tried quite a few new places. My roomie and I had a fun Friday with dinner and a movie. We decided to walk to a sushi place right near our apartment and it was awesome! Now I know we'll keep going back. I don't know if that's a good thing or not haha. Then we went to the Grove and watched The Campaign! It was the perfect movie to sit back and just laugh. That Zach Galifianakis is one funny dude haha!
And Saturday was a fun day too...We had a girls day that ended up turning into a girls night out (of course)! We laid by the pool and then got all dressed up and went to dinner at Caffe Roma in Beverly Hills! One thing is for sure...us girls sure have a hard time making a decision. After dinner, we literally sat in a parked car in Beverly Hills trying to decide what to do next. Poor guy with his blinker on waiting for our parking spot just sat and sat! But finally we decided to head to the Beverly Hills Hotel.
Now I had read about the Beverly Hills Hotel when I read all of the A-List novels (basically the LA counterpart to Gossip Girl haha). So I'd been dying to try it out. So much fun! The hotel is just as gorgeous as I had imagined and the Polo Lounge was really relaxed and a great place for chatting with the girls. We even saw Nicky Hilton sneaking out of the hotel! I definitely want to go back. And maybe one day we can rent out one of the bungalows haha. Big dreams!
And then Monday...Labor Day! We celebrated Labor Day and my one-year anniversary with good ole Los Angeles by the beach in Santa Monica. It was the perfect beach day, and being that I do live in Cali, I should have a little tan, right? It was definitely a sun-tanning, hamburger eating type of day. What better way to celebrate?
It's always nice having that extra long weekend, especially when you get a chance to appreciate all the ways your life is blessed!
So it's one year down...wonder how many years there are to go in this crazy love affair with California?
Always have faith!!
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
Monday, August 27, 2012
I'm officially a Californian...
Well legally that is...
But we all know I'll always be a Southern girl at heart! :)
It took long enough, but I officially have Cali tags and a California ID! Ahhhh is this really happening?!
I was going to show y'all a pic of my new license plates, but then I realized that's probably not the smartest idea haha. Well, duh! Cause if you've ever seen Criminal Minds, then you know how creepy things can turn out ahh. Did I mention that I'm now addicted to that show? Although, it does give me nightmares, I just can't stop watching...
Anyways...I was talking to someone today about how quickly time flies. I mean it's only been a little over a year since I graduated from college, but somehow I feel like it's been forever. Maybe it's because life changes so quickly...
You really do have to grow up and get real after college. No more messing around...it's job time; it's bill time; it's REAL time!
But all in all, it really is an exciting time. One of my tour guests today told me this is the time to figure out what you want to do. Try new things and do something you're passionate about doing. Better to be adventurous and take risks instead of settling and being unhappy. It'll all work out eventually. That's why we have to put our trust in something BIGGER!
Always have faith!!
But we all know I'll always be a Southern girl at heart! :)
It took long enough, but I officially have Cali tags and a California ID! Ahhhh is this really happening?!
I was going to show y'all a pic of my new license plates, but then I realized that's probably not the smartest idea haha. Well, duh! Cause if you've ever seen Criminal Minds, then you know how creepy things can turn out ahh. Did I mention that I'm now addicted to that show? Although, it does give me nightmares, I just can't stop watching...
Anyways...I was talking to someone today about how quickly time flies. I mean it's only been a little over a year since I graduated from college, but somehow I feel like it's been forever. Maybe it's because life changes so quickly...
You really do have to grow up and get real after college. No more messing around...it's job time; it's bill time; it's REAL time!
But all in all, it really is an exciting time. One of my tour guests today told me this is the time to figure out what you want to do. Try new things and do something you're passionate about doing. Better to be adventurous and take risks instead of settling and being unhappy. It'll all work out eventually. That's why we have to put our trust in something BIGGER!
Always have faith!!
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
The perks of living in LA...
Except for this first part of my blog...I'm being sarcastic.
Today was the day I attempted the trip to the Los Angeles DMV. Yep...the place where you go and once you're inside, you may never come out. I was literally at the DMV today for 4 hours! WHAT?!? And I even had an appointment!
You read that right...an appointment. Who has to make a dang appointment to go to the DMV?? At home, you just walk in, say hey to the employees (whom you most likely know by their first names) and you're in and out of there without any hassle!
That's just not the case in LA. Luckily, having an appointment allowed me to skip the line that curved around the entire building...but I've never seen so many people trying to get licenses. Shew!
Last complaint, I promise...I thought okay, I'll give it one day and get everything accomplished. But nope! I'll be going back to finish getting my car registered. It's never-ending ahhhhh!!!
Luckily, at lunch I was reminded of the perks of living in this city. I'm just standing in line at my favorite salad place and lo and behold, there's Giuliana Rancic waiting in line too! So that was exciting!
After spending hours at the DMV, I get a reminder of why I love this city in the first place. It just makes me more excited and inspired to work towards my hosting goals. Little reminders like seeing a successful host like Giuliana keep me working hard towards my dreams! ONE DAY!!! :)
So the moral of my blog today is that any day in this big city can seem bland or crazy and the next thing you know, you walk right past someone who reminds you of why you're here in the first place! You just never know what's coming next!
Always have faith!!
Today was the day I attempted the trip to the Los Angeles DMV. Yep...the place where you go and once you're inside, you may never come out. I was literally at the DMV today for 4 hours! WHAT?!? And I even had an appointment!
You read that right...an appointment. Who has to make a dang appointment to go to the DMV?? At home, you just walk in, say hey to the employees (whom you most likely know by their first names) and you're in and out of there without any hassle!
That's just not the case in LA. Luckily, having an appointment allowed me to skip the line that curved around the entire building...but I've never seen so many people trying to get licenses. Shew!
Last complaint, I promise...I thought okay, I'll give it one day and get everything accomplished. But nope! I'll be going back to finish getting my car registered. It's never-ending ahhhhh!!!
Luckily, at lunch I was reminded of the perks of living in this city. I'm just standing in line at my favorite salad place and lo and behold, there's Giuliana Rancic waiting in line too! So that was exciting!
After spending hours at the DMV, I get a reminder of why I love this city in the first place. It just makes me more excited and inspired to work towards my hosting goals. Little reminders like seeing a successful host like Giuliana keep me working hard towards my dreams! ONE DAY!!! :)
So the moral of my blog today is that any day in this big city can seem bland or crazy and the next thing you know, you walk right past someone who reminds you of why you're here in the first place! You just never know what's coming next!
Always have faith!!
Monday, August 13, 2012
You wanna go where everybody knows your name...
Oh Cheers...I now know why you loved that bar oh so much!
It's just the best feeling when you go out with friends to your favorite place. You know the one I'm talking about - your go-to hang out where you know everybody who works there and so many memories have been made there that you'll never forget?!
Well unfortunately the quote "all good things must come to an end" came true last Saturday night. My favorite bar...the one where I celebrated my birthday and my friends birthdays, the one we went to for a chill night or for a dance night with the girls, the one I saw Stephen Colletti at has closed. :(
That's right...I understand just how disappointing it is when a place filled with so many memories is no longer open for business.
So L Bar closed last weekend. But the worst is when the next weekend comes... You're sitting around with your friends and you have absolutely NO IDEA what you're going to spend your Friday and Saturday night doing. That's exactly what happened to us. We just sat and sat and couldn't think of anywhere to go!
It's ok...I'll give myself one lame weekend to be sad, but man we have to get back out there! This weekend will be a fun one. We're gonna try new places and find our new staple spot, don't you worry haha!
In the end though, you just wanna go where everybody knows your name! We'll find our new Cheers soon!
Always have faith!!
It's just the best feeling when you go out with friends to your favorite place. You know the one I'm talking about - your go-to hang out where you know everybody who works there and so many memories have been made there that you'll never forget?!
Well unfortunately the quote "all good things must come to an end" came true last Saturday night. My favorite bar...the one where I celebrated my birthday and my friends birthdays, the one we went to for a chill night or for a dance night with the girls, the one I saw Stephen Colletti at has closed. :(
That's right...I understand just how disappointing it is when a place filled with so many memories is no longer open for business.
So L Bar closed last weekend. But the worst is when the next weekend comes... You're sitting around with your friends and you have absolutely NO IDEA what you're going to spend your Friday and Saturday night doing. That's exactly what happened to us. We just sat and sat and couldn't think of anywhere to go!
It's ok...I'll give myself one lame weekend to be sad, but man we have to get back out there! This weekend will be a fun one. We're gonna try new places and find our new staple spot, don't you worry haha!
In the end though, you just wanna go where everybody knows your name! We'll find our new Cheers soon!
Always have faith!!
Wednesday, August 8, 2012
When I grow up...
I want to be in the Olympics!!!
Who else is obsessed with watching the Olympics?! Now that's it's coming to an end, I guess I'll have to go back to watching reruns of Criminal Minds and Friends haha.
But seriously, don't the Olympics make you so proud of your country? It's the one time people from all over the world come together and show just how many talented people there are in this world! It's so amazing and truly inspiring!
Sometimes, when I'm watching the Olympics by myself and USA wins a medal, I stand up and sing the National Anthem with the winners! Ahhh...I'm a weirdo haha! But a proud one!
My favorite sports to watch at the 2012 London Olympics were Women's Gymnastics, Swimming and Beach Volleyball. My favorite was gymnastics of course.
I remember taking gymnastics for YEARS and hoping I'd go to the Olympics one day. This was the time of the Magnificent Seven. I was obsessed with Dominique Moceanu and wanted to be just like her one day. I bought all of the books about the USA team and my parents even bought me a warm-up uniform that matched the gymnastics team! Good times! :)
Well...obviously, me being an Olympic gymnast was just not my calling in life. I could have guessed that the time I was on the balance beam and proceeded to fall, straddle the beam, and slide off sideways. I cried for an hour!
But one thing's for sure...I'll always be watching and cheering on the athletes who impress me oh so much!
YAY for the Olympics! And thank goodness we all have a variety of talents to offer this world. We just gotta figure out how to use them!
Always have faith!!
Who else is obsessed with watching the Olympics?! Now that's it's coming to an end, I guess I'll have to go back to watching reruns of Criminal Minds and Friends haha.
But seriously, don't the Olympics make you so proud of your country? It's the one time people from all over the world come together and show just how many talented people there are in this world! It's so amazing and truly inspiring!
Sometimes, when I'm watching the Olympics by myself and USA wins a medal, I stand up and sing the National Anthem with the winners! Ahhh...I'm a weirdo haha! But a proud one!
My favorite sports to watch at the 2012 London Olympics were Women's Gymnastics, Swimming and Beach Volleyball. My favorite was gymnastics of course.
I remember taking gymnastics for YEARS and hoping I'd go to the Olympics one day. This was the time of the Magnificent Seven. I was obsessed with Dominique Moceanu and wanted to be just like her one day. I bought all of the books about the USA team and my parents even bought me a warm-up uniform that matched the gymnastics team! Good times! :)
Well...obviously, me being an Olympic gymnast was just not my calling in life. I could have guessed that the time I was on the balance beam and proceeded to fall, straddle the beam, and slide off sideways. I cried for an hour!
But one thing's for sure...I'll always be watching and cheering on the athletes who impress me oh so much!
YAY for the Olympics! And thank goodness we all have a variety of talents to offer this world. We just gotta figure out how to use them!
Always have faith!!
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
VIP in Vegas baby and so much more!!
I can't believe that I had never been to Vegas once in 23 years, and since I moved to LA, I've been there twice in the past 3 months haha! That's the way it goes!
And this time was even crazier!!
I went to Vegas to celebrate my friend Nina's birthday and we ended up celebrating our VIP luck even more! My roomie Bianka somehow talked to the CEO of MGM Resorts on the phone at work and he ended up hooking us up! This is NOT real life!
We were VIP in the Bellagio hotel, which was such an awesome experience! Check out the pretty fountains at the hotel:
We got into fun clubs the whole time. Our favorite was The Bank in the Bellagio. And wait for this story...
While we were in The Bank, somebody comes up to me and asks, "Did you go to a leadership conference in Washington, DC at American University?" Why yes, yes I did. How crazy is that!?! To remember somehow from years ago and you run into them in Vegas of all places haha. Such a small world...
We also loved our meal at Capital Grille in Vegas. They set us up at the best table in the place with the most gorgeous view of the Vegas strip! Here we are toasting to Nina's bday!
Seriously such a fun experience, minus the 7 plus hours it took to drive back home... So much traffic! And not only that...it ended up raining and hailing in the desert of all places. Shew! We were worn out!
So Vegas...we'll be back. Just give us a couple of months to recover haha!
On another note, check out afterbuzztv.com to see my latest after-shows for Pretty Little Liars! We interviewed Jenna and Lucas from the show one week and that was a blast! I'll be there every week, so tune in if y'all can!! Every Tuesday at 10pm ET and 7pm PT.
And I've been writing a bunch of blogs for Spotlight Country, so head to www.spotlightcountry.com if you want the latest in country music news!! :)
Some fun celeb spotting this week at work too! I saw Academy Award winner Jessica Lange who was back at Paramount to start shooting American Horror Story. And I also smiled at Henry Cavill and about melted! What a stud haha!
Now, I've gotta get to packing while listening to some Shania Twain! Heading home for another wedding this weekend! Can't wait!!
Always have faith!!
Thursday, July 5, 2012
The South will forever be my home
It sure has been awhile...
With trips back home to VA and a beach trip to Charleston, SC, I felt very far away from the life I live here in Los Angeles.
Everything felt comfortable and familiar back at home...hanging out with my family and celebrating weddings and engagements with my friends. It reminded me of a simpler time - one that I hope to achieve again at some point in my life.
It really is the little things that can make all the difference. No matter what's going on in life, sometimes all you need is to be around the people and things that feel like home to you. These are a few of my favorite things from my trips back to the South that remind me to stay grounded and be grateful for all that I've been blessed with in this life:
A day at the lake
Petting my little Gabby girl
Holding baby Jude
My best friend Hannah getting engaged!
Celebrating my best friend Breanna's wedding!
Mom and daughter chats
Spending quality time with my Meme
Eating at Chef Heather's with family and friends
The Johnson City mall
Running into people you know everywhere you go
6 hour car rides to the beach
Lots and lots of country music
Sweet tea
Watermelon on a sunny day
Cheer stunts in the pool
Riding the waves at high tide
Sightseeing in downtown Charleston
Family dinners
And the list could go on forever...
I don't know what it was...but I couldn't have asked for a better trip home.
When I was sitting at the beach in Wild Dunes with my feet in the water and the hot South Carolina sun beaming down on my face, I felt such a sense of peace. It's like I knew that's where I needed to be at that exact moment, and it felt so right. I just couldn't stop dreaming...
Then after a cancelled flight and finally making my way back to the big city...it made me question what really matters. It makes me think harder about my goals and dreams and has forced me to focus on my faith and trust in the Lord. Without that faith...every little struggle would seem like a huge mountain. But I don't have to worry like that because I trust that there is a plan set for me, and really I'm just along for the ride. I will always cherish my trips back home because they remind me of who I really am and what really matters to me deep down.
How lucky I am to know the small town Southern life and to experience all that the big city of Los Angeles has to offer! Life is definitely a journey, and I am where I am for a reason. I can't wait to see where God leads me.
Here are some pics (lots more to come) from my trip home and of course from my 4th of July celebration back here in LA!
Always have faith!!
With trips back home to VA and a beach trip to Charleston, SC, I felt very far away from the life I live here in Los Angeles.
Everything felt comfortable and familiar back at home...hanging out with my family and celebrating weddings and engagements with my friends. It reminded me of a simpler time - one that I hope to achieve again at some point in my life.
It really is the little things that can make all the difference. No matter what's going on in life, sometimes all you need is to be around the people and things that feel like home to you. These are a few of my favorite things from my trips back to the South that remind me to stay grounded and be grateful for all that I've been blessed with in this life:
A day at the lake
Petting my little Gabby girl
Holding baby Jude
My best friend Hannah getting engaged!
Celebrating my best friend Breanna's wedding!
Mom and daughter chats
Spending quality time with my Meme
Eating at Chef Heather's with family and friends
The Johnson City mall
Running into people you know everywhere you go
6 hour car rides to the beach
Lots and lots of country music
Sweet tea
Watermelon on a sunny day
Cheer stunts in the pool
Riding the waves at high tide
Sightseeing in downtown Charleston
Family dinners
And the list could go on forever...
I don't know what it was...but I couldn't have asked for a better trip home.
When I was sitting at the beach in Wild Dunes with my feet in the water and the hot South Carolina sun beaming down on my face, I felt such a sense of peace. It's like I knew that's where I needed to be at that exact moment, and it felt so right. I just couldn't stop dreaming...
Then after a cancelled flight and finally making my way back to the big city...it made me question what really matters. It makes me think harder about my goals and dreams and has forced me to focus on my faith and trust in the Lord. Without that faith...every little struggle would seem like a huge mountain. But I don't have to worry like that because I trust that there is a plan set for me, and really I'm just along for the ride. I will always cherish my trips back home because they remind me of who I really am and what really matters to me deep down.
How lucky I am to know the small town Southern life and to experience all that the big city of Los Angeles has to offer! Life is definitely a journey, and I am where I am for a reason. I can't wait to see where God leads me.
Here are some pics (lots more to come) from my trip home and of course from my 4th of July celebration back here in LA!
Always have faith!!
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