Engagement Party

#BFF's Engagement Party was this past weekend.

To no ones surprise, the entire party was adorable

...from decorations to food...

everything was well-thought-out and perfect.

A blue&white theme with lots of sunflower accents.

And, of course, everyone had a blast singing karaoke,

playing yard games, and jumping into the pool in the dark.

If this is an accurate preview of the wedding that is to come

it certainly will not disappoint.

the bar and the obvious ring decorations

cupcakes, decorations, and "he popped the question" popcorn

chalk board signs and big fun letters

GooGooDolls

views from our lawn seats with #scottandlindz

Daughtry played forever.
But the Goo Goo Dolls were amazing.
Obviously.

Ellie In Windsor

At the beginning of March Elise told me I needed a passport for a birthday surprise on May 8th.

For almost the entire build-up time, I avoided figuring out the surprise

then I was driving down I-75 one day and saw a billboard...

the date "May 8" flashed and I quickly averted my eyes.

The next day, though, I wasn't so lucky and saw the whole billboard:

Ellie Goulding - Caesars Windsor - May 8

Damn, I ruined the surprise! I thought.

Damn, that's going to be awesome!

And it definitely was.
Taylor&Elise&I got into the standing-room only show early enough to get right up front
harnessing the ability to take in Ellie in all her glory.

She was as beautiful in person as one could imagine.

Her mannerisms quirky&freespirited as she glided across the stage

swaying&swinging her hips&pelvis.

Her voice was certainly tired - it was the 2nd to last show of her tour

but she muscled through and seemed to sincerely enjoy herself, which made me smile.

Almost magically, I had said just before she went on:

"I'd like to hear 'The Writer" but she probably won't play that."

and low&behold, she did.

Figure8&MyBlood were both powerful&emotional

as she threw her head back, letting her hair flip&fall about her shoulders.

She banged on the drums, her body almost flopping into them in sheer happiness.

She mumbled&drank between songs, which was endearing&adorable.

And besides the bitchy girl next to us who tried to fight Elise

and the monster of a man who blocked my view for the first few songs

our spots in the 3rd row right in front of her microphone were magnificent.

Definitely worth the 5 hours on my sore&blistered feet.

"I chase your love around a figure 8 - I need you more than I can take.

You promise forever and a day then you take it all away."

Figure 8 - Ellie Goulding

Dinner&Drinks at Caesars

Once we crossed the bridge into Canada

we parked at Caesars Windsor

then found Legends Sports Bar for dinner&drinks.

The 3 girls got 3 different delicious drinks to try.

Ingrid in RO

Her Instagram

Joe&I went to dinner last night then saw Ingrid Michaelson perform

at the Royal Oak Music Theater.

She's an amazing, quirky, free-spirited, genuine performer

and a pure pleasure to watch live.

Though I'm not completely sold on her new album,

the old classics were excellent and the atmosphere was perfection.

Girls Chase Boys Chase Girls

The Marquee

The lights were mostly purple (not that you can tell)...

The Stage&Backdrop before the Encore

A few of my current favorite lyrics:

"Did any of me stick at all?
Can you hear me singing through the walls?
There's a part of you that stays with me someone else gets to know.
Did any of me ever stick at all?"

-Stick

"Here we go, dancing on our own, inside this house that we have never known, never known.
Here we go, going in alone into the dark and wonderful unknown.

Let us go, let us go...
In the best way, you’ll be the death of me."

-Wonderful Unknown

UP Quirks

Syd&Sam wanted to head back to the UP for a trip to see Hunter's band play their first gig. So we headed up after work on a Thursday - loaded up Sam's car with our pups&bags and headed north. I was hammered and missed most of the show ...I was there just not coherent. Woops. It was a good&random trip with cards&FridayNightLights and mac-n-cheese&fireball and an early morning hunt for a lost sister who's clothes lead me up the stairs to the place I figured I'd find her.
Wild nights in my summer town ...in the winter.

"ish" is an acceptable time to post

the "pickle barrel" is a local monument

santa look-a-like has a bottle of wine to himself

Elton

Elton john at joe Louis arena

Sadly, my companions were either drunk or silent (as per usual) but I still loved the show. I probably most enjoyed chatting with Bunni's dad over his excitement for me to see Elton just like he had in the 70's. He may not have been the most active performer, but he belted out those classics & brought me right back to my youth and the memories of my dad singing Your Song to me on long road trips. The stage was sweet - the lights at the back changed constantly and sometimes turned into different images and we were lucky to be on the side where Elton's piano was, so our view was great considering the cheap ticket price.
Elton, you enchanted me.

Dave

Syd&I went to a Dave Matthews Band Concert last night. I've never been to a DMB concert, but I've been to a concert at the same venue - DTE Energy Music Theater - before and I really love the outdoor space under the ski hill. We got to the show and realized we didn't have bottle openers for both the wine&beer we'd brought in the car, so we reverted back to our 16-year-old selves and improvised on opening them ...laughing so hard at our parking lot struggles. Finally, we got out and wandered through the rain into the show, stopping for beer&snacks before heading inside. As we walked up the hill toward the stage, a rainbow shot through the sky. "Bunni's at DMB tonight." I said quietly while smiling and snapping a pictures. As she show  went on, the clouds turned dark, and the rain continued through sunset, but the spirit of the event seeped through the air - making the rain seem so insignificant. I took off my shoes, closed my eyes, and danced to the music. At one point, I felt a pair of lips on mine - Bunni's brother had found me in the crowd and smiled huge at me as he walked back to his seat. What a reminiscent night to enjoy. The band was honestly amazing - so fun&lively with lots of lights&instruments - and we stayed until the very end. Getting out of the muddy field DTE calls a parking lot was quite the challenge. Everyone was getting stuck - including us - and the drive home through flooded streets seemed surreal, but - in the end - the late Tuesday night was well worth all the effort.

Wine Bottle Struggles

Rainbow&Clouds

Big Screen&Encore Time

Huge Croud&Wild Lights

Instruments&Lasers

Ke$ha&Pitbull

I went to a Ke$ha&Pitbull concert with Erica&Kari Friday.

"There's a place downtown, where the freaks all come around."

 

Legs - Pigs - America ... ok.

"Go insane, Go insane. Throw some GLITTER - make it RAIN."

 

Ke$ha was wildly entertaining. I loved loved loved her show. She was inappropriate&sexy with a potty-mouth and stripper-poles. Her dancers wore fuzzy-animal-costumes and her stage had blow-up-accents including a pig and a huge pair of legs. She told silly stories about sex&booze and dropped the f-bomb while talking about a 12-year-old boy who'd been bullying, shouting "Fuck the Haters!" It was hysterical&wonderful and made me fall even faller in love with Ke$ha - an artist I've been singing along to for years. I would definitely see her in concert again.

"BLANCO! Acércame tu pantalón."

Pitbull's portion of the concert was absolutely wild. It was like a crazy dance party in the seats of a basketball arena. The funniest part was people-watching - especially the group of middle-aged latin men jumping&jiving to Pitbull's beats when he went into his Spanish tunes. The ran up&down the bleacher stairs and recorded themselves singing every lyric and dancing like maniacs. I have to admit that I wasn't very excited for a Pitbull concert, but it ended being a lot more fun than I expected. I thought I needed to download his album to be familiar at the concert, but most of the stuff he did was just the excerpts for songs he's featured on with music videos behind him and sexy dancers next to him. Interesting&Entertaining.

24 Seconds

Last night I rode my bike to Syd's house in Berkley after work and we had dinner at 24 Seconds - Berkley. I just had chips & guacamole that I ended up taking home to munch on at work today, but they were pretty good. Syd said her burger was great. And we each enjoyed a post-work beer. I mostly just enjoyed that we got to sit outside on the rooftop patio. So glad the weather is starting to behave. After dinner we walked to the corner store for some beer to sip on the deck while Max ran around in the backyard.

I love love love being able to walk somewhere I want to go. My ideal life would be led without the need of a car. If I could ride my groceries home in a basket on my bike, walk from home to dinner, and stumble home from the bar - I'd be eternally happy.

For now that's not how it is... but hopefully before the weather turns cold again, we'll be in our own house with Dearborn at our fingertips.

T. Swift

On Saturday morning I woke up with a hangover.

I laid in bed all day - trying to recover...

But one phonecall changed my mood entirely:

"Do you wanna come to Taylor Swift tonight!?"

Immediately I jumped in the shower

and started trying on red outfits

(as instructed by my BFF)

though I ended up settling on maroon

and rushed out the door to meet her

at her bofo's parents' house.

We hopped in the car and headed for downtown.

(The concert was at Ford Field.)

After circling for parking,

the girls escaped&photographed the tour busses

then headed inside to buy souvenirs before seating.

I was more then excited to discover that Ed Sheeran

was the opening act for Taylor.

I love love love him!

Apparently I need to listen to the radio more often,

cause lots of people love Ed.

After Ed, though, Taylor blew me away.

I felt like I was on an emotional high the entire concert

tearing up - smiling huge - singing along

...by far the best show I've ever seen...

and it was even more wonderful to enjoy with my BFF.

We squealed like 12-year-old girls at a BiebsShow

and swayed&danced to all her wonderful songs.

The show was simply amazing.

All the in-between portions were well-thought-out

and her mannerisms&personality were precious.

I definitely fell in love with T.Swift

...unexpectedly, I'll admit.

I very very very much want to see her again.

My favorite part was "All Too Well" on piano.

My heart was pounding.

My eyes were welling up.

My emotions were soaring.

Making the Drive

I don't drive the Envoy very often

since Mr.U&I drive Gloria to work together,

so when I have a weekend trip to make myself

I jump at the chance the take the Envoy out.

I feel so happy&peaceful

rollin' down the highway

listening&singing along to my music.

.pure happiness.

Back To You

Something always brings me back to you.
It never takes too long.
No matter what I say or do

I'll still feel you here 'til the moment I'm gone.

You hold me without touch.
You keep me without chains.
I never wanted anything so much

than to drown in your love

and not feel your rain.

Set me free, leave me be.

I don't want to fall another moment into your gravity.
Here I am and I stand so tall, just the way I'm supposed to be.
But you're on to me and all over me.

You loved me 'cause I'm fragile.
When I thought that I was strong.
But you touch me for a little while

and all my fragile strength is gone.

Set me free, leave me be.

I don't want to fall another moment into your gravity.
Here I am and I stand so tall, just the way I'm supposed to be.
But you're on to me and all over me.

I live here on my knees as I try to make you see

that you're everything I think I need here on the ground.
But you're neither friend nor foe though I can't seem to let you go.
The one thing that I still know is that you're keeping me down
You're on to me, on to me, and all over...
Something always brings me back to you.
It never takes too long.

"Gravity" - SARA BAREILLES

Music&Baseball

Last Saturday night was another concert of the HandGrenade at a grungy-hipster-bar in Hamtramck called New Dodge. All the bands were great, but the I’ll admit that I was more interested in watching the Tiger’s game from our perch in the balcony. The TVs above the bar were in perfect view and the game was too good to take my eyes off with a suspenseful tie-up in the 9th inning. We finally won in extra innings – around 1am – then danced the rest of the night away with the bandmates to silly juke box music. The perfect end to an evening of good music&baseball.

Missy&Bunni

I wish last night could have lasted forever.
Only I prefer the 4-Years-Ago version, but I’ll take either.

Bunni must be feeling neglected lately because she been stalking my dreams&thoughts. Yesterday morning I woke up from a BunniDream to hear Missy Higgins singing softly through my computer speakers. This lead me to look at her website. The top tour date listed was September 19, 2012 at the Crofoot Ballroom in Pontiac. My heart almost stopped. This is the exact same venue Bunni&I saw Missy at during the summer of 2008.

(at first I had my days mixed up and thought I’d missed it, but still felt happy that Bunni had reminded me of the concert… then about 3 hours into my morning I realized that it was actually the 19th and I hadn’t missed it!)

Quickly, I texted Bunni’s brother to ask if he’d like to join me for the concert and he quickly agreed.

We danced in a blue spotlight while drinking VodkaRedbulls and floating through the clouds – rocked&swayed to the powerful beats&lyrics. Eventually, we moved to the place Bunni&I had stood four years ago – the place where she wrapped her arms around me and told me she loved me for the first time during “Warm Whispers.”

Standing back in ‘our spot,’ I couldn’t wait to hear ‘our song’ and when she finally played it, my whole body went numb. I asked my baby to wrap her arms around me again – hold me up, keep my knees from buckling, warm me from the inside out, and stabilize my soul. And, of course, she did. I felt incredibly calm&eased while Missy whispered the tune – like the clocks had rolled back and time was standing still in a moment when Bunni&I were so fresh-young-inhibitionfree … completely&utterly in love.

Sadly, the song had to end, and reality seeped back into my world. But I’ll forever hold on to the first time (and now the second) that Bunni&I stood at the Crofoot Ballroom listing to Missy Higgins’ “Warm Whispers.”

On a funny side, Bunni’s brother was loving all the lesbians in the crowd – a group on the patio made him an “honorary lesbian” for the night and he thoroughly enjoyed taking all the snuggly couples in.

Home Office

I’ve been using my “home office” more often lately. I set it up one night when Mr.U&I were talking about his last master’s class and how he’d need to be on the computer all fall. Where the desk had previously sat was pretty inconvenient as a workspace, so I rearranged all the furniture.

He’s never once sat at it.

I – on the other hand – have been sitting there a lot lately. Scrolling through old pictures&poems, writing&journaling, and playing all the old playlists I’ve been neglecting on my computer. The desk was his grandmother’s and most of the trinkets on it are items I’ve collected through my years, so it feels historical&fun to sit there.

I like it.

the HandGrenades

This weekend Mr.U&I went to the CD Release Party for one of his highschool buddy’s bands: The HandGrenades.[cd: The Morning After] The venue was this grungy bar called the Magic Stick in Midtown with eclectic decorations and a billion trendy hipsters. Let’s just say Mr.U didn’t really fit in with his Redwings hoodie, but we were there to support a friend and enjoy each other’s company, so it didn’t faze our out-of-place selves.
The band was a wonderful mix of indie-pop-rock with a touch of motown&retro influences – the perfect combination for my British Invasion swayed ears. I’m all about local flare, so dancing around to funky music created by those born&raised in the Detroit atmosphere was a lot of fun for me. And Mr.U stood beside me with a beer&smile while I bounced&nodded.
And all around excellent experience for our first, real nighttime outing in the downtown of our new home.

Metal Trance

Saturday night, after attending my nephew’s 1st Birthday Party, Mr.U&I went to a Five Finger Death Punch concert – it was my gift to him for being such a WastedMonster at our 1st Lion’s game.I have to admit, I was a little scared to go. It’s not that I don’t like heavy metal, but I wasn’t sure what to expect from the concert. I got us tickets for the stands instead of the ground floor to avoid any mosh-pit injuries, which was probably a good idea.
From our view perched above the pit, I watched the crowd in amazement.
rhythmically swaying and pumping their fists in the air
shoving each other around
crowd surfing
throwing water bottles and cups of beer
...not a place I’d like to be, but definitely interesting to observe.
I can see how the fans fell into their mosh-pit-metal-trance, though.The lead singers of these bands
– including Hatebreed, All That Remains, and 5FDP –
seemed like gods on stage.
instructing the crowd when to move and how to react
throwing their arms above their head and looking up toward the heavens
growling out their metal screams while stalking between their bandmates.
I even found myself believing that they had all the answers.
Their heavy breathing and throbbing muscles convinced me that the words they so passionately portrayed were unquestionably true.
I nodded my head, ground my hips against the air, bounced up&down.
Entirely enticed.My eyes glued to the stage.
My heart pounded with the thunderous thumping under my feet.
They knew how to get me, how to keep me, how to mold me into their follower.
The momentary MindFuck sent me to the stars and back.
Yes, I loved every minute of my Metal Trance.