GASP!

The weather is cooling off so why do I suddenly feel warm?

Countdown to the mega D.C. girl's weekend/New Moon viewing party is officially underway. Who's joining the frenzy? Check out the trailer and GET EXCITED!

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An outfit worthy of an entire post

For two-and-a-half seasons, Mad Men has become one of my must-see-weekly-or-die indulgences. It delivers decadent sets, period-appropriate (and swoon-worthy) clothing, complex characters, intriguing storylines and the sexiest leading man on television. If you're not watching, shame on you. Call me and I'll loan you seasons one and two.

And then there's Joan. She's sexy, curvy, strong, seductive and sooooooo well dressed. I want to be Joan. I want to look like this on a daily basis:
or this:
or this:
That's why I saw this dress and immediately knew it had to be mine. From the royal blue wool to the button detail and straighter skirt, it's delicious. And so Joan-inspired, but fresh and current.
Yummy! Buy yours here.

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D.C., I love you! (volume 1)

Did you know the Wickstroms are blowing this D.C. popsicle stand to head West in three short weeks? One of us is excited, the other is going kicking and screaming (you guess which is which).

Here are the things I'll miss, in no particular order:

Working with the lobbyists on D.C.'s landmark K street.

The entryway of my office building and...

...the molding in the elevator.

My 11th floor office, with TWO windows.

Displaying annual National Public Works Week posters
(which are usually ugly AND feature realistic body parts).

The Subway next door to my office (aka my very own Cheers, "Where everybody knows my name and they're always glad I came").

And these fine people, who've hand-crafted "olive" sandwiches for me
weekly for the past four years.

Stay tuned for more reminiscing...

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Why can't all mail be so charming?

I ordered something from one of my favorite sites -- Etsy.com. It's brimming with talented artists and creative souls offering unique handmade gifts and treasures.

UK illustrator Heidi Burton sent my purchase in this happy envelope and it totally made my day! I'm resolving to make my letters more cheerful -- from the outside in!

Heidi's pictures are so quirky and charming!

Tell people illustration - $8

Just My Cup of Tea postcard - $3.30

Spoontang Clan print - $25 (reminds me of Chris and his friend John!)

Random Acts of Kindness Print - $8

Chore Trade Gift Tokens - $13.50

P.S. Did you know my awesome friend Holly has an Etsy shop? Check her out here.

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OVERHEARD: husbands sharing their innermost feelings (aka hazards of a busy work/school schedule)

Husband 1:
Sit down for this...

I think our wives are having an affair. With the way my wife talks about your wife, and the passionate comments they leave on each other's blogs about fashion, friends and fabulousness...there's got to be something going on there.

Why can't we be everything they need?


Husband 2:
I hate to say it, but I think you're right. Maybe we need to set up an intervention. I tried to keep them from meeting each other, but they found each other through the blogosphere.

As long as we maintain these hectic schedules, we are doomed to remain second best in their complicated love lives. It's a tragic tale indeed.


P.S. Husbands rock! (But so do girl's nights with awesome ladies. And GIRL CRUSHES ARE THE BEST!)

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From a pro's point of view: Twilight Premier revisited

Remember my teensy Twilight Premier Party last month (also known as the epic I LOVE ROB celebration)? One of my gorgeously talented friends snapped a few shots of the party and made it look EXTREMELY CHIC AND FANCY!

Andrea is an incredible photographer! In addition to capturing the awesomeness of this fiesta, she previously worked her magic on my 2008 Office Premier Party and even the lowly Wickstroms (no simple task). Call Andrea so she can bring out your inner fabulous! You won't be disappointed! Blog stalk her here!
Party details here.

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Dear Chris,

This blog post is to inform you that I now have four boyfriends. You already know this, but I think committing it to writing makes things a bit more official.


Clearly I'm still in love with Rob (and by Rob, I mean Rob. Not just Edward). I spent a small (um, medium) fortune staring at his hotness on the big screen. And I dedicated an entire party to him. And I own a full-sized cardboard cutout in his likeness. Oh, and I made you watch all of those YouTube interviews and laugh with me at his uncanny wit. Isn't Rob the best?!





You know how I feel about Jon Hamm. He is absolutely delicious on Mad Men. (I think my next boyfriend will be the entire cast of Mad Men and the set designers and the costume people and the hair and makeup crew, but four is enough for now).

Jon Hamm is way more than just a sexy 1960s ad exec, though. He is hilarious on 30 Rock and remember when he did the "Jon Hamm's John Ham" SNL skit? I'm still laughing about that one. Oh Jon!



I actually hung out with two of my four boyfriends last night (sorry you couldn't be there). Up to that point, I was just in like with these two -- strong like -- but now, it's LOVE. Therefore they have BOTH been added to my boyfriend list.

Behold, Brett and Jermaine (aka Flight of the Conchords aka FOTC):
Don't you love their robot costumes? They performed a stirring rendition of this tune for their opening number. Be still my heart!

They are just as funny and amazing in person as they are on T.V. (even more so). Jermaine melted my heart with his charming wit and audience shushing (sorry, Rachel -- he's MINE). Because of him, I had a goofy smile smeared across my face for the entire two hours of the show (I've got sore cheeks, but it's a small price to pay for love).
And Brett with his unkempt hair -- absolutely amazing. He has mad guitar skills and can beat box. (You know how I love a man who can drop a fat beat). And he sung the girlfriend chorus on this song, which happens to be one of my ALL-TIME FAVORITES!
They also serenaded me with this song and this one and this one and this one and this one. And so so many more. Chris, it was a pivotal point in our relationship (me and the Conchords, I mean). We bonded. We're serious now.

Even though I have a lot of famous boyfriends, you're still the one who wipes away my tears of stress, joy, laughter, rage and the inexplicable ones during that time of the month. I like wearing your pajama pants the best. And giving you Eskimo kisses and butterfly kisses and, well, all kinds of kisses. You're so much more to me than just a boyfriend -- you're my hot husband (check my phone -- that's where your number is listed).

xoxo,
Bec

FOTC at DAR Constitution Hall pics via.

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Changing my tune

I'm not super high-maintenance. (Unless you consider the need for copious pairs of shoes to be high-maintenance. I consider it EQUAL TO BREATHING AIR).

But after my company-sponsored trip to Las Vegas last month and another flight to Utah this weekend, I'm thinking of becoming high-maintenance.

Because high-maintenance people know how to travel. They stay at the poshest hotels, and order ice cream from room service. They wear designer dresses and Louboutins ON THE PLANE. The words "spa," "facial "and "massage" frequently pepper their travel vernacular. And, most importantly, THEY FLY FIRST CLASS.

Last week I got bumped from my crummy connecting flight and upgraded to a direct flight in First Class. It reminded me that flying can make you feel like more than just a vienna sausage stuffed in a stinky metal can. And four hours in the sky is way more comfortable in those roomy, reclining First Class seats.

But the food was GROSS. My eggplant pasta was a sad lump of gluey penne with hunks of eggplant and congeled mystery cheese. I was forced to eat only the chocolate cake (sorry, diet).

Also, the stewardess was snooty. Is a diet coke really that outlandish of a request? Sorry to offend!

And I felt a tad out of place amidst the sea of stuffy business suits (I was wearing my L.A.M.B. leopard-print hoodie and red patent leather flats, thankyouverymuch!).

{sigh}

I guess I'm not cut out for the high-maintenance lifestyle (nor is my wallet). But don't think I won't accept more company-sponsored glimpses into the life of the fabulous. You bet your ripest banana I will!

What company-sponsored perk are you dying to try?

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Let there be screaming and fainting (aka How to Throw a Twilight DVD premier party)

First, a disclaimer:

I won't apologize for my addiction to a certain teenage Vampire series. While I'm not typically lured in by adolescent novels, this guilty indulgence has been a welcome obsession. It's a good story (even if the writing is not oustanding) and the books are sexy (but not obscene), sensual, intimate and captivating. (You should try it!)

And the movie -- OH THE MOVIE. It's definitely not Oscar-worthy, but it captures the essence of the relationship at the heart of the series. (Can I get an AMEN?)

Which brings me to my point: Rob (the actor who plays the main character) is seriously hot. And the more you see the movie (I would know), the hotter he gets.

And I'll stop there.

Since I love Rob and I know a few ladies who agree, I hosted a

Rob in HD/Twilight DVD Premier Party

It's not too late for you to follow suit. Here's how:

Step 1. Evite!
You know I love an evite (isn't it fun to check back and read all of the fun comments/excuses of invitees?). And the only thing I love more than an evite is an evite smeared with ROB! You gotta get your guests pumped!
Step 2. Build the Excitement
My party featured a special guest. And that's all I revealed until the day of the party, when my friends were greeted by......a life-size cardboard cutout of Edward! (Chris Rob-ified him by creatively positioning our mullet wig to capture that unkempt, rugged mop Rob usually sports. P.S. Chris is a genius).

Step 3. Pick a theme and serve yummy food
Use the movie/book to draw inspiration for your decorations and menu. I chose to celebrate the Italian feast Edward's family whips up for Bella when they meet her and since this was a girl's night, I served lots of pretty hors d'oeuvres, aka: The food was served on clean white platters which I splattered with blood (because, HELLO, the movie is about vampires).

My menu included:

- blood orange soda
- sun-dried tomato bruschetta
- caprese salad (on a stick)
- stuffed mushrooms
- arancini di riso (aka fried risotto balls)
- prosciutto-wrapped asparagus
- bite-sized (blood) red velvet cupcakes

(Maybe everyone wanted to eat the bruschetta because it was delicious [it was!]
and maybe because of the sexy label I gave it). (See the blood drips?)

Step 4. Make it pretty
It's easy to make your table look appetizing when you label the food with Rob's gorgeous pictures! That's really all it took! (Oh and I filled my heart-shaped bowls with hot tamales, to honor Rob's hotness!) The details make all the difference.

Step 5. Focus on Rob; keep the favors simple
I sent guests home with a couple of heart-smattered love notes (since they would be feeling so amorous after watching the movie). Simple!

I also displayed all of my Rob-related reading material. I promise I'm not that obsessed -- most of these magazines were gifts. Okay, one was a gift.

Step 6. Turn on the Flick and Commence Giggles/Swooning/Sighs/Awwwwws
Watching the DVD with a room full of girls was definitely a treat! Don't forget to check out the special features (especially that deleted kissing scene).

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Dear Saturday Night Date,

I wanted to say thanks a bunch! It's been a while since we've seen each other and you are just as awesome as I remembered.

Actually, I'm going to be honest with you. I've been enjoying an e-mail thread from friends detailing their worst (most horrific) dating experiences. And there have been some wild stories (sorry to say you're reputation has been pretty much slayed in these exchanges).

The truth is, you really stink sometimes. Especially when you're blind. Those are THE WORST nights. Or when you're all about pity (from either party). Very few meals are worth enduring that inhumane level of awkwardness.

But when you involve a super hot husband (let me be more specific: my devilishly handsome husband) and not the grocery store, you're divine! When you include a visit to a cupcake shop and not Costco, you are ambrosia.

Speaking of cupcakes, Gerogetown Cupcakes were so so so good! And totally worth the 20-minute, rainy wait.
And this place was delicious, as usual. Maybe Ray's could become your official sponsor?
And even though we were among hundreds of 11-year-olds (one of whom was incessantly kicking the back of my seat), Monsters V. Aliens in 3D was really a treat. I loved BOB!
So thanks, Saturday Date. I can't wait until we spend time together again soon (do you mind if we forgo variety and opt for a carbon copy of this night from now on?).

xoxo,
Becky

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