a very macy's thanksgiving

when i tell people that i love the macy's thanksgiving day parade, they usually say, "oh, me too!" not realizing that my love is more than a passing interest. my affection for the parade is much deeper than say, when people go "i love puppies!" it's so deep that missing it on one thanksgiving about 5 years ago ruined the whole day for me, and now goes down in history as the "worst thanksgiving ever". don't mess with me and my parade, man.

11 years ago, i had the privilege of seeing the spectacle up close and personal with my family. i also had the misfortune of being the coldest i've ever been in my damn life. no joke, i swear that with the windchill, and gusts blowing through the high-rises, it must have been about -20 degrees outside. so, i naturally wrapped my wool scarf around my head like a little babushka while my mom sought shelter in the nearby mcdonald's, which was serving lukewarm chocolate because they couldn't heat it fast enough. however, my 14 year-old self was more than happy to risk hypothermia to catch a glimpse of bbmak, lfo, and aaron carter, waving on a silly float and lip-synching to their pre-recorded hits. i couldn't wind my disposable camera fast enough! i swear to god rich cronin made eye contact with me, y'all. probably because i was the only freak with a scarf around her head.

anyways, we had thanksgiving dinner that year at this gourmet restaurant, scaletta, which was absolutely horrible. i mean, sure, the meal was probably amazing by foodie standards. but the stuffing had damn raisins and apples in it. i don't care what you say, fruit does NOT belong in any stuffing of mine. i picked at it and pouted...probably thinking "if only bbmak were here". the parade was so worth it, but you'll never find me eating fruity stuffing at a restaurant on turkey day again.

heavy metal and mullets: a white trash driving mix

hi guys! i basically made this mix because i wanted an excuse to include songs about crack and cowboys without it being totally weird. this mix is a little on the long side, but trust that it is totally perfect for any less-than-classy excursions. listen HERE!

1. sum 41 - fat lip

2. mickey avalon - jane fonda

3. queens of the stone age - little sister

4. pujol - mayday

5. boomkat - the wreckoning

6. american bang - whiskey walk

7. kid rock - cowboy

8. injected - sherman

9. eagles of death metal - english girl

10. bona roba - in the cut

11. jay reatard - it ain't gonna save me

12. buckcherry - lit up

13. zz top - tush

14. p.o.d. - boom

15. rock 'n roll soldiers - funny little feeling

16. kings of leon - red morning light

17. the cadillac black - i'm southern

18. avenged sevenfold - bat country

place i love: winter park, florida

since moving to orlando, to say i've experienced culture shock is a pretty big understatement. but each day, i get more and more comfortable here as i encounter new things, people, and experiences that make me appreciate my new surroundings in different ways.

this past week, my parents came to visit, and i got the opportunity to check out some places that i hadn't previously gotten to explore in the area. we spent a few days in the beachside community of vero beach (which, i swear to god, was the inspiration for seinfeld's "del boca vista", but nice nonetheless) and wandered around orlando's leu gardens, which was a beautiful retreat in the middle of the city.

but the place that really, really got me was winter park, a city just north of orlando that's been called "new england in florida". as soon as i stepped out of the car and onto the brick, tree-lined streets of the city's famed park avenue, i fell in love and felt extremely comforted - really, the first time i've felt "home" since i've moved here. it reminded me so much of the main streets in the boston area - and it felt almost like a quainter newbury street in boston. it probably only added to the charm that it was a brisk 60 degrees that day in orlando - a rarity for fall here - so i relished the chance to stroll in my scarf, sweater and boots. my parents and i snagged a streetside table at a casual eatery, 310 park south, and enjoyed our sandwiches as we people (and dog)-watched. i wandered into the newly-opened barnie's coffee kitchen after lunch for a chai latte, and decided promptly that i must live here someday. nevermind the 600k-multi-million dollar price tags on most of the area homes. it's happening, y'all!

site i love: pinterest

i know that many of you are already on the pinterest bandwagon, but if you aren't...GET WITH IT! pinterest is an internet junkie and/or incessant daydreamer's dream come true (i happen to be both). the idea is that you can make your own personal bulletin boards from images you either search for on the pinterest site, or anywhere on the web. i had actually already been doing these "vision boards" in powerpoint, mainly just because they put me in a good mood. images of my dream home, people i want to meet, things i want to do...pinterest makes it much easier to quickly add things to my boards and share fun images with friends. for example, you can check out my "happy stuff" board.

the site says you need an invite, but i signed up and received one the next day, no problem. happy pinning!