Racing

Last Friday night Farra, her husband Bryan, my adoptive nephew their little one Brendan, and me ventured to the Del Mar racetracks to people watch bet on horses and watch Dashboard Confessional perform.

(Side note: Dashboard Confessional takes me way back to my cool emo/punk high school days. It was a really cool time in my life =P)

We arrived at the racetracks and Brendan's stroller promptly broke, sweeett. Bryan Farra is the handy one in their relationship and she quickly fixed that business right up.

We made our way into the races, checked out the horses, marveled out the unique "size" of the jockeys, and then started placing bets on the horses. I have a very intricate and unique science when it comes placing bets. Basically, I pick out my two favorite horses' names and bet on those horses... and I do pretty darn well.

So well that I won 5 out of the 6 races I bet on Friday night. I guess I just know how to pick out a special name when I see one. 

Don't forget to bring your attention to the classy high school age girls behind me and then remember how I said the people watching at the races is kinda awesome? Yup.

Two of the horses I bet on: Swiss Tart and Grumpy Small Mouth, they placed 1st and 2nd place in that race. (Now call me crazy but wouldn't Grumpy Small Mouth be an awesome blog name? =P hehehe)

Of course while we were at the races I did what any any good adoptive auntie would do, and taught Brendan that is completely ok to stomp dance on top of picnic tables in the middle of the racetracks. Just for the record I also recently taught him that it is completely okay to eat a whole bowl of gelato while your mom is not looking.

I am so lucky to have friends like Farra and Bryan, we always have a good time =)

Wishes

This weekend was such a great one, but the highlight was attending the Make A Wish Foundation's annual Roll Out The Barrel event.

The Make A Wish Foundation makes it their mission to grant the wishes of children with serious medical conditions. Sometimes these wishes are simple childhood wishes like visiting Disneyland, and sometimes hearing about the kids who make these wishes has the ability to turn me into a ball of tears. Take Lauren from New York, well she's 4 years old and has terminal cancer. Her wish was to give back comfort and hope to other sick children. The Make A Wish Foundation donated stuffed animals that she was able to hand out to other sick children. Ya, this girl is special. 

Roll Out The Barrel was unlike anything I have ever attended....

Unlimited amounts of wine, ridiculously good food, great music, performances, presentations by Wish kids, an incredible San Diego beach venue, and so many kind people who came together to help kids that deserve so much love.

Nadav and I had the most wonderful time... such a wonderful time that we spent Sunday recovering on the couch. (Ok what can I say the wine was flowing and I thought it would be fitting for it to flow right into my wine glass).

Taking in the San Diego Harbor

Dress-Anthropologie last summer, Belt-Anthropologie last summer, similar, Sunglasses: Kate Spade, similar

Hope you had a sweet weekend. =)

 

To You And You And You

Throwback to Comic-con

Dear Friends,
Please tell me I am not the only one who finds the book 50 Shades of Gray really really reallllly painful to read. Seriously. I think it is that bad, granted I haven't reached any of the "decorative" parts yet but I'm not even sure I'll be able get that far. Wamp Wamp.

Dear Nadav,
I've really really missed you, so glad you're coming back today. XOXO. (See you all didn't know that he was away, but I've gotta keep some things private up in hurrr.)

Dear Work,
You bring shenanigans to my life, and that is all I will say about that.

Dear Olympics,
I am so so sooo excited for you to start. It makes me so so happy to watch so many talented and hardworking people come together and show off their incredible skills. It's just good stuff... and I'm basically in awe of the female gymnasts.. and no, that's not basically they are so, uhm small hehe..

Dear Shark Week On The Discovery Channel,
Now aren't you relieved that you start after the Olympics ends? Well good, because I am relieved too.

Dear Readers And Blogger Friends,
I know I say it a lot, but I am so so grateful for you. You really truly have changed my life. Thanks for all the support, kindness, and friendships. Who would have thought I would have so many good friends through blogging. =)

Happy Happy Weekend Friends

The Best(s)

You know you're kinda sorta obsessed with the dolphins at Sea World when you go twice in the same week, and on one of those occasions you go by yourself and hang out at the dolphin tank for two and a half hours. Yup, it's a totally normal (and happy) thing to do. =P

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And on to other matters...these two ladies, they make me really really happy too. Yes, they are sweet, but they're also inspiring. Martie lives in beautiful Vienna, and is a genuinely kind person who is finding the beauty in life. Robyn is a world traveler and just spent a year teaching and learning in Africa.  Both of these ladies are wonderful and I am so happy to share their blogs with you.

Martie

Hi, I´m Martie and I am living across the pond in Vienna, Austria. When I don´t stalk my girl Tammy, I have my own little blog called Spunkyrella where you can join me talking about pretty things, being silly and very outspoken at times.

It´s my goal to get greener, leaner and braver one crazy day at a time. Join me!

Blog - Twitter - Bloglovin - Pinterest 

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Robyn

 Even though I have just packed my suitcase and said goodbye to Nairobi, my blog, 'Africa, My Africa', is my scrapbook and journal of my adventures in Africa. I write when I am inspired about anything from running  to life as an expat.

Blog - Bloglovin

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Have a sweet day friends 

 

Instagrid-ing

I give you...
Life lately via Instagram. 

1. A beautiful downtown San Diego evening
2. Brunch with blogger loves at Jrdns
3. Announcing my birthday to the Comic-con world

4. Catching a little beach time before bootcamp
5. Sushi again... what's new? =P
6. Just love.

7. La Jolla Cove on a sweet summer day
8. Dressing room photos with Farra
9. Few things are better than a vanilla cone with rainbow sprinkles at Mr. Frostie's

And just in case you want to follow more of my Instagram shenanigans...

You can find me on there at @BayParkDream

These Summer Sales Are Just Too Much

Ok Madewell, just stop it now.

Your summer sale is really tickling my pickle (ya I just said tickling my pickle, eh?)...

Even if that whole 30% off sale items coupon code disappeared yesterday. =P

A few of my favorite Madewell sale picks.

First Row: Pleated flutter skirt, polka dot top, denim shorts, party favor tee

Second row: striped drawstring dress, polkadot skirt, wedge, full twist miniskirt

Third Row: Highwaist shorts, sunglasses, playsuit, side cinch shorts

In conclusion, I have a serious thing for polka dots.

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And in other shopping related news I checked out the Nordstroms Anniversary Sale last weekend and decided I need a pair of Nike Free Run+ 3's. Naturally, they're not on sale because... well, leave it to me to decide I need something that is not on sale during a store's biggest sale of the year. Typical.

Seriously though, these shoes are so light and so comfortable and I really am in the market for new running/training shoes. Ok and they're cute, really really realllly cute.

I haven't actually purchased the shoes yet but I'd love to hear from you...

What running shoes do you wear and love?

Sponsor in August

 Are you looking to grow your shop, small business, or blog?

Well, you've clearly come to the right place because
1) I would love to have you
2) I think my little blog is a pretty fun place
3) It's (almost) August and I have some medium and small sponsor spots available for your advertising needs. =P

Interested? Check out my Sponsor page to learn more and purchase and/or reserve ad spots. As always, feel free to shoot me an email me if you have any questions. =)

One Of "Those" Posts

This is going to be one of those posts.
One of those posts where I set aside that positive front and admit that things aren't always perfect.
I'm getting sick for the second time this month, I just don't feel like myself, I just painted my nails and they are already chipping (dramatic I know =P) and I am so ansy and I am so ready for the school year to end. 5 more days and I really just need a break.

July has been an amazing month, a seriously amazing and busy month.
The 4th of July has always been one of my favorite holidays,
my birthday... well my birthday will always be one of my favorite weeks days,
celebrating friends' birthdays,
Comic-con in all its madness,
time with people I love,
and I've really been taking advantage of the beauty that is San Diego in the summer. It's just the very best.

But sometimes I can't help but feel like there's so much I want to do and so many places that I want to be, and I can't figure out how to to stop slow and down. Time just starts moving too fast and I just want to shake it by the arms and say "Stop! I'm just trying to live here!"

It's ok to sit and slow down,
to take a day off at the gym and go on a walk instead,
take a 3 hour nap after work because getting sick twice in the same month is just not like me,
to focus on the positive and stop thinking about the silly things (cough nail polish chipping cough),
and to just get through this week because one month off of work is going to do wonders for my perspective.

And today, well today I'm going to put a big smile on my face because I'm taking some of the kids I work with to Sea World. Lets just hope this doesn't happen again....

Hope you find the light in the little things today.

Playing Hookie

So Friday I played a little hookie, took off from work really a little early (ok can't blame me I have one week of school left and its summertime in San Diego), and met Nadav at The Wavehouse in Pacific Beach for a little fun.

The Wavehouse is an awesome restaurant/bar that is right on the Pacific Beach boardwalk. It's the perfect place to grab a drink and people watch. During the summer they have big parties/concerts and they're famous for their two wave pools where you can surf or boogie board. 

 Nadav's first attempt at surrfing The Wavehouse pool

 He rocked it right? =P I promise he was totally hanging 10 did get better by his 3rd try.

As for me, well lets just say I'm all about being adventurous, trying new things, and even surfing real waves. Buttt, while we were in line to surf I saw a girl fall and flash everyone at The Wavehouse. I promptly got out of line, and decided to wear a more "appropriate" top next time we come to The Wavehouse. Ohhh to be a lady =P

After Nadav was all surfed out we headed to the boardwalk and took in Pacific Beach.

Oh ya, just creepy looking Barbie dolls hanging out at a beach house.

I'm so thankful for summer in San Diego =)
(One more week of work one more week of work, must survive this week!)
 

Dear(ly).

Just a little bit of indulgence from last weekend =P

Dear John Green,
Yesterday I started reading your book The Fault In Our Stars in my backyard hammock. I didn't get out of that hammock for two hours, and I think The Fault In Our Stars is one of those books I'm going to be really really sad about finishing. Thank you, it's been sometime since I have felt that way about a book.

Dear Nadav,
Sorry I kind of messed up dinner last night, thanks for eating it anyway. =P Cough, thank you for also saying that you don't think your "stomach issues" last night were due to my cooking either, hehe. And jeez, while we're on the topic of last night, thanks for putting up with my grumpiness. Ok I'm done about last night hehe.

Dear Nadav,
Ok now I apologize for discussing your stomach issues on my blog, I know I know.. you're going to kill me =P I love you, I really do.
 
Dear Friends,
I know I've kinda sucked at responding to your comments and emails lately, but I blame my slackerness on enjoying the summertime. I promise to catch up soon. Pinky promise.

Dear Olivia,
Thank you, I'm so excited to celebrate my birthday with some of my very favorite ladies this weekend.

Dear San Diego Pride Festival,
I will be seeing YOU this weekend, and yes.. I am oh so excited about it because really, you are always a good time.

Dear Self,
Remember to slow down and be present in each moment. Lately you've been feeling like life moving is by a little too fast. Stop, breathe, try to slow down.

and on that note...
Dear Self,
Get off the computer, grab your kindle, and head straight to the beach. =P There's no day like today (Anyone catch that Rent the musical, reference eh eh? =P).

Happy Friday My Friends 

Just 'Cause

Happy List

1. That half hour before I leave for work when I can just sit quietly, sip my coffee, and read my very favorite blogs. It's pretty much my favorite part of the day.
2. Long lazy San Diego beach days

3. My new phone, the Samsung Galaxy sIII... it's just, all kinds of wonderful. Take that you Iphone junkies =P
4. Taking in the madness that was Comic-con... scratch that, recovering from the madness that was Comic-con

I don't even know.... ;)

5. Making dinner for my man, it makes him so happy.. which also means I can't do it everyday because it wouldn't be as special (shhh don't tell him that hehe)
6. Celebrating my birthday allll week, a girl's gotta live ya know?

7. Knowing I only have 9 days left of this school year and then have a month off of work. Suuhhweet
8. Deciding that I should use the word "suhhweet" multiple times throughout the day when commenting on things I like. =P
9. My city, suhhweet hehe

10. Planning a mother-daughter getaway with my mom. Weeee! (Special note to my Mom... please please don't change your mind, remember what I repeated 1000000 times when you tried to say it might not happen told you, "making memories with me the ones you love is way more important than fixing up your garage" hahaha. xoxo love you!)

Happy Thursday Friends, just one day closer to the weekend!

  p

When You Need A Break

It's Sunday, and you've spent the last 3 days taking in some serious sensory overload at Comic-con. You wake up exhausted but it's the very last day of the convention and you have to go.

So you drag yourself out of bed, get dressed, and drive down to the trolley station to catch a trolley to downtown. You park, check your phone before you leave and see that someone has posted a picture of this...

La Jolla Cove in all of its beauty.

And yup, you need to be on that beach and in that water... because really, who needs to see crazy people dressed up in crazy costumes take over downtown on such a beautiful day? So you start that car, drive home, throw on your bathing suit, and head straight to the beach.

 

You take a stroll, buy some strawberry lemonades from a lemonade stand, and find a place to park on the sand...

You chuckle at the fanciness of your La Jolla lemonade because apparently the kids in La Jolla put extra big chunks of strawberries in their lemonade. Suhhweeett

You hold hands as you snorkel, and take lots of awesome photos oh fish and seals with your underwater camera... and then watch as your camera slides off your wrist and sinks to the bottom of the ocean. #Oops =P

San Diego summer days are my very favorite

So About That Spending Freeze

Well I was supposed to be on a spending freeze and I was doing really, really well until... all my favorite stores started holding big summer sales. Sigh.

And really now J. Crew you just had to go and have a 40% off already marked clearance items sale right? Well... thanks, thanks a lot.

Thanks for contributing to the destruction of my spending freeze, and making my closet a whole lot cuter.

J. Crew I like you, I really like you a lot. I also really appreciate that I always need to size down one or two sizes when I buy your clothing. You really know how to make a girl feel good about herself. =P

First row: silk bow cami, green minnie stretch pant, pink tippi sweater, No. 2 pencil skirt 

Second row: teal mini skirt, seersucker shorts, big apple skirt, tie button down blouse

 I may or may not have purchased way too many of the above pictured items. Sorry Mom, I swear I've been trying really really hard to save money. But seriously, this sale... it was just that good =P

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Special shout out to Cole at the Fashion Valley J. Crew store. You're all kinds of wonderful =)

 

Comic-Con, Oh Comic-Con

Not going to lie, I'm the type of person who kinda freaks out when I'm surrounded by a gazillion people and I am so not a fan of waiting in lines (especially 6 and a half hour lines)... I kind of hate them. I know I know, I sound like an absolute joy right? =P
But yes putting up with lines and (crazy) people was so so worth it at Comic-con.

And let's be honest... the people watching was ridiculous.

The costumes, the celebrities, the lines, the panels, the insane amount of people all swarming the convention floor.

It was A WHOLE LOT of amazingness to take in.

 And I really really loved it.... buttt I'm glad Comic-con International only happens once a year. =P

Cara-Mia and her brother entertained me in front of the bat mobiles for awhile.
{My outfit: Shirt-Anthropologie, similar: Jean shorts-Joe's Jeans, similar}

Wonka bars from the original movie?!.... say whatttt

Hanging out at Rob Zombie's Comic-con party "Dawn of the Con". Coolest party name ever right? Cough. =P

And now back to reality =P
Hope you have a great week

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P.S. Thank you so so much to everyone who wished me a happy birthday!