Running of the Brides: DC Edition

I think I might like being the "FOB" (Friend of Bride) because I get to be there for all the fun planning stuff, but without having to pay for it (or marry the groom.)*

As I mentioned in my Tweets, I've had 3 couples (6 good friends!) get engaged in the past 3 weeks (actually, all within 5 days of each other!)

One couple, Friend and his girlfriend (I refuse to call her his fiancee) are simply NOT right for each other (she is my friend but he needs to do better...she is WAAAAAAAAAY too over dramatic for him.)

The other 2 couples I could not be more excited for.

Bear and Dougle were my campaign BFF's during the last cycle, when I was in CA. Dougle (the boy) and I shared an office, and Bear (the girl) and I hit it off as soon as we met. Their relationship was interesting because he was her boss...and one of the other staffers who worked for Dougle thought that he was showing Bear favoritism in the work she was being assigned. I can honestly say that this was because she simply is a good worker and the complainer was a whiny, spoiled brat with a sadly inflated sense of self-importance.

BP is my college buddy and I've loved his now-fiancee ever since the first time I met her, while we were brushing our teeth in the guest bathroom in pj's at BP's folks home in Madison (this was during my campaign in Wisconsin, and I had a training in Madison.) BP and D have since moved to DC and currently live across the street from me. We have so much fun together - it's never awkward when just the 3 of us (or when Florida comes along.)

Tonight was the first time I've gotten to see BP and D since their 4th of July engagement, and it was completely spur of the moment: I went to peek at a house I emailed about earlier today and decided I'd pop into their house across the street before an appointment to look at another house. We chatted for a bit, Florida and I went to the appointment, and then came back (with beer) and settled in for a longer chat.

Turkey chili followed, and D and I got into chatting about wedding planning. We somehow started talking about the Filene's Basement bridal gown sale, and BP Googled it to see when it was.

It's in 2 weekends.

Cue angelic music from high atop the thing (bonus points for getting the reference!)

Instantly, D and I started making plans.

We are both going to take that day off work.

We are going to Filene's earlier in the week so we can map out our attack plan. There will be sketches and flow charts. The planning for this would make the Navy SEALs proud.

She will be wearing flip flops and leggings (though the article BP pulled up said some brides wear bike shorts and a bandeau top. I told her I would start working for her enemy if she wore that.)

We will be in matching shirts so we can easily identify each other (preferably in neon!)

We are going to have Sharpies and posterboard.

We are going to have walkie-talkies (my codename: Foxtrot. Her's: Delta.)

We are going to kick some brides' BUTTS to get my girl the dress of her dreams.

SO: Has anyone done the Filene's Basement Running of the Brides sale before? Or any sample sale like this? What are your suggestions? Tips and Tricks? Words of warning?

Delta and Foxtrot look forward to your thoughts!

Cheers,



*Not that I don't love the groom in this particular case. But given that his little brother is LBP...it might be awkward. ;)

This one's for you, Blue Eyed Bride...or how Fleetwood Mac saved my relationship and my life

(not only an accurate title...but also words that Stevie Nicks said in dedication of Landslide to her Daddy (replace Blue Eyed Bride with Daddy...you get it. It will make more sense in a few seconds. Just keep reading.)

So Blue Eyed Bride mentioned on her Twitter that she loves Fleetwood Mac's The Dance album, and I responded that I had quite the story involving that album's DVD, peach margaritas, candles, and my ex-boyfriend's mom who told me that since I was from California, I must be crazy.

Seriously.

To my face.

During our very first conversation.

Bless ex-boyfriend's heart for standing up for me and telling his mom the next morning that what she said was really offensive. She then spent rest of that day trying to make it up to me.

Let me set the scene.

Ex-boyfriend Colgs and I were in town (Chicago) for our friend's wedding. We had just started (secretly) dating, and we were going to be spending the weekend at his folks house. Colgs comes from a very close-knit family, and I knew that their approval would seal my fate, either way.

I thought I was charming and they would love me at once. However...

...during the introductions (the INTRODUCTIONS! I had literally JUST met this woman 2.5 seconds ago!) this is what ensued:

Mama Colgs: Bea, so you're from San Diego, right?

Bea: Actually, I'm from San Francisco - the other part of the state.

Mama Colgs: Oh. Well it's the same thing, everyone from California is crazy.

Bea: {awkwardly} ummmm...yea, we are, heh...it's what we're known for (?????)

Colgs: {quickly} Um, so Mom, can we help with dinner??

Yea...basically called me a crazy to my face. Awesome.

So the next day, Colgs had to go to work (we flew in on Thursday night) and left me alone in his house.

With his mother.

It was tense, to say the least. She knew I was pissed and offended, and didn't know what to say to apologize.

So we were talking about the wedding over a late breakfast and who knows how, but somehow Fleetwood Mac came up.

Well I guess she realized that I must not be crazy if I like Fleetwood Mac, so she decided that we needed to put on the DVD.

Now we can enter the margaritas.

When Colgs came home a few hours later (he left work early, worried about me and his mom alone...) Mama Colgs and I were several pitchers of William Sonoma peach margaritas deep, the DVD was STILL on (and had been repeated a few times), every single candle in the house was brought to the family room and lit, and Mama Colgs and I were dancing and singing* in the middle of the room to the blasting DVD (because we had spent much time enjoying our frosty margaritas on the patio, and we had to hear the music out there too, obvi!)

He took one look at us, dancing and swaying and singing, and walked back out and headed back to the office.

The world may never know if he left because he knew his mom and I were getting along famously and didn't need a babysitter...or because he was simply scared of what he saw in that family room that day.

The rest of the trip was fine, and Mama Colgs and I remained very close throughout our year-long relationship. In fact, Colgs and I are still very good friends, and as his parents are both in the pharmaceutical field, whenever I have questions about medications (I'm very allergic to a few common ones) I still call them for advice.

When we got back to DC, I wanted to send them a bottle of wine (I tried to find more W&S peach margarita mix...but they were sold out for the summer and I've never seen them again) to thank them for letting me stay in their home.

Attached to the wine was a note that read: A bottle of California wine from your favorite crazy Californian.

And there, Blue Eyed Bride and all my sweet friends, is my story of how Fleetwood Mac saved my relationship and my life.

Happy Friday!



*I believe the song on at the time was Tusk...in which case we were also playing air instruments alongside the USC Marching Band...

Ouch...or why DC ain't big enough for both of us, Owen Wilson

NOTE: This was SUPPOSED to be a scheduled post, but since I clearly lack the capacity to schedule posts correctly, you get to read it now. It's short and sweet, and with pics. :)

Ouch.

I got elbowed in the nose last night by my coworker.

It was on accident, so I'm not terribly mad at her (though still mad!)

I have a small black eye (though Florida says I'm imagining it) and my already large-and-in-charge nose is swollen (Florida admits that it is swollen.)

I totally almost pulled Marsha's "Now I'll never be a teen model!" line from the Brady Bunch Movie but decided that at nearly-30 my window for being a teen model has sadly passed.

Needless to say, I didn't get any sleep last night because my nose and head hurt and I'm incredibly freaked out about finding a job and a new apartment, so now both my eyes have heavy dark circles around them - making it look like I have 2 black eyes.

Ugh.

On the flip side, here are some quick pics from the wedding I had the pleasure of attending in Milwaukee this past birthday weekend.

At some point soon there will be a recap of my Florida adventures and more/better pics from the wedding...but until that time, enjoy these!

Exchanging of the rings

Close-up of her bouquet - notice the lovely blue irises??

The bride - she was truly beautiful

The salad, in a martini glass. Quite clever, I thought!

Cheers,

Sweet Bea

PS - thank you all for my birthday wishes!!Birthday in Milwaukee was a blast, celebrating at the Old German Beer Hall with an old friends and new friends, and ending with Chinese food, pajamas, and The DaVinci Code movie. DC Birthday part 1 was last Friday with a YUMMY dunner at Zaytinya, one of my FAVE restaurants in the city, with Florida, Bestie, her boyfriend gK, and our good friend WestWing (for her fave show) who just moved back to DC and looked SMASHING. DC Birthday part 2 - the karaoke edition - will be sometime in July when everyone's schedules open back up.

Why Tequila and Champagne are my BFFs...or why National Airport, Midwest Airlines, Alamo Rental Cars, and yes, even NASCAR, are on my bad side...

NOTE: This post was supposed to be done yesterday, but I needed some booze a day to decompress. So here it is, a day late (and 400 dollars short.)

Today, I flew to Milwaukee for a friend's wedding.

But, as with nearly all my air travel, it did not go without complications.

After staying up waaaaaay to late on Wednesday night playing on the blog and avoiding packing, I woke up at 9:00 a.m. to pack for my 2:00 p.m. flight out of National. Read: tired and cranky.

Side note: DC has 2 airports: Reagan National, just outside the city, and Dulles, about 45 minutes away (without traffic.)

Eventually I packed and showered and got ready to go to the airport. Florida took leave today so he could drive me - ain't he sweet? We decided that since he was off today we would use the day off to also get his new parking permit so he didn't keep getting parking tickets every night.

Florida drops me of at the airport and heads off to meet with my leasing agent to get the required proof of residency form that my agent said he would fill out for Florida.

I meanwhile check-in at Midwest and am informed that my flight is 15 minutes delayed.

15 minutes? No sweat!

I cruise through security (cutting my bare footsie on a shard of glass in the process...) and find a seat at my gate, get settled and comfy, and start reading Something Blue (FAB!)

A bit later I realize I haven't heard any announcement from the gate regarding the delay - which was now much more than 15 minutes late. But what I do hear is the gentleman sitting across from me talking to his neighbor, saying that the plane was at Dulles.

Dulles.

The other DC airport.

I am absolutely incredulous at this proclamation, so I decide I must head to the counter to verify for myself - because there had still not been any announcement from the gate.

Yup - plane at Dulles (DULLES!)

Nope - they have no idea when it is arriving at National.

Dejected, I return to my seat and decide a call to Mama Bea was in order. Yea, because she always cheers me up...

50 minutes later, Mama Bea and I hang up because my cell battery is somehow dying - still no info on when our plane is arriving, nor any official announcement from the gate.

I get a text from Florida:

Sorry to bug you while you're on the phone with Mama Bea, but you have to fill out the form so I need to wait until you get back to go to the DMV.

Wait - what??

Leasing agent SPECIFICALLY said that HE (leasing agent) would fill out the form and notarize it as he is a notary public (I think it what it's called.) And now he says that I have to fill it out?

So of course, I call the leasing agent and leave a very terse message: I am at the airport getting ready to board my plane (lie) and you need to call me back immediately to resolve this issue as you said you needed to fill out the form and notarize it.

Leasing agent calls back and informs me that no, my information (gotten from him!) was wrong and I actually had to fill the form out, sorry! (HATE my leasing agent.)

I call Florida back and just say - fill out the form with my info and sign it. I am not waiting to deal with this on Monday, and he needs the permit TODAY.

Oh, and still no announcement from the gate.

30 minutes later, Florida sends me this text:

I need a copy of your license before I can get the permit. And a copy of the lease with your name on it.

I swear I about lost it and replied with:

If ONE MORE THING goes wrong today I am going to SCREAM!

My plane is now 3 hours delayed (and was supposed to be touching down in Milwaukee and my magical plane was at the WRONG AIRPORT!) and Florida can't get the permit that we need today so he doesn't get any more tickets...I was about to lose it.

I finally hear an announcement that we are boarding (hmm, no one ever announced that our plane had arrived, but sweet!) I push through the line because I am in Row 9 and that is what the are boarding, and hand the agent my boarding pass.

She tells me I need to go to the next gate.

Huh??

Apparently they have CHANGED GATES. Awesome. Several people around me also then go to the "correct" gate, where they are boarding as well.

The idiotic boarding agent (who at this point is being so incredibly rude it was unbelievable. Lady - if you make an announcement, people won't individually come up to you every 5 minutes to find out what's going on. Not hard...) rudely takes my ticket while saying (not over the loudspeaker) that this is the final boarding call for our flight. What an idiot. No one can hear you! No one is here to board!

FINALLY on the plane I start to stress about getting a rental car when I land in Milwaukee. Yes I should have reserved online but frankly I was only home for one day and had to work most of it and then ran errands the rest of it and it slipped my mind. Sue me.

There is a fresh wad of gum on the floor directly in front of my seat - right where my feet or purse would go. Awesome.

Trying to ignore the horrible children sitting in the row in front of me shaking their seat so much that I literally couldn't read my book that was sitting on the tray table (and trying with all my might to not 1) yell at them/their mother, 2) punch the back of their seat to get them to stop) I looked at the drink menu.

I do not drink (on planes.)

I hate to fly, and I learned early in my aviation career that Bea + plane booze = a vocally terrified, neurotic, paranoid Bea. Not good.

But Jack Daniels looked mighty, mighty good to me right then.

Luckily for me and my still-full wallet, bu the time they came around (much too late in the flight, in my opinion) I just got a Diet Dr. Pepper and waited patiently for the baked on board chocolate chip cookies (pretty much the only reason I fly Midwest.)

Once I had cookies in my tummy, things started getting better. I finished Something Blue (the book I STARTED at the airport!) and set about playing with my ipod and doing the crossword.

Pretty quickly, we landed. Sweet Lord, I am finally in Milwaukee.

I get my bag (2 rows behind me in the overhead bin...a total plane pet peeve of mine. Don't put your laptop/purse/coat in the overhead bin!) and take off to the rental car area.

Now, I just rented a car in Florida last weekend through Budget, and I have a coupon for a free weekend day rental, yay! I also have a coupon for $15.00 off through Alamo, double yay!

I decide to forgo the line at Budget and go next door to Alamo...where I am promptly told I cannot use my coupon because I don't have a reservation. Who cares if I made a reservation!

I huff off to wait in line at Budget. After waiting a few minutes, I realize that their sign saying Cars Available wasn't to be seen. I hear an agent on the phone with a customer saying something about NASCAR being in town...and I start to panic (It's not even real NASCAR - it's Busch Series...like the minor leagues of racing. Stupid stupid Busch Series!)

I look at my Budget coupon - also needed advance reservation.

Shit. Now what?

I saunter back over to Alamo with my tail between my legs, and request a car (their Cars Available sign was up.)

My cost (without any additional coverage or anything): $400.

$400!

For the exact same car I rented in Florida last weekend for under $100.

WTF?

I grimace and realize I don't have a choice, and fork over my debit card.

The agent, Nancy, asks for the printout of my return flight.

HUH? Yea...I don't have that.

She (not terribly) politely informs me that without proof of a return flight I can't use my debit card. SO stupid.

I ask her how I was expected to go about getting her a printout of my return flight. She responds that I needed to go the Midwest ticketing area and have one of them print out my return flight information.

Yea...right. That ain't happening. I just spent over 3 hours dealing with awful Midwest people...am NOT going to deal with another.

I very angrily throw my credit card at her (yes I know I am not being mature but I was PISSED!) and she informs me that my card says it was not authorized to be used.

You have GOT to be kidding me!

I yank back my card and dial the stupid credit card company to raise hell because I already activated this new card! There is no reason this shouldn't be working.

Meanwhile Alamo Nancy has called for backup, and one idiot boy has decided that talking to me while I am CLEARLY on the phone with the credit card company is a wise idea. He informs me that if my card was declined they can't run it again for 24 hours.

Shiiiiit.

I tell him that my card wasn't declined - it wasn't authorized, and that they would be running it again as soon as I was off the phone (take THAT Alamo Nancy and friends!)

Sure enough, 5 short minutes later, $400 was dumped onto my newly-reactivated credit card and I was angrily storming out to get my stupid car.

Ironically, the car is bright red, and I was red with anger.

Finally I get to my friend's house and we head off to dinner where we are approached by 2 ladies bearing Jose Cuervo Platino tequila shots. Yes, please! (PS what is it with me and tequila lately? I HATE tequila! But recently it has been soo good!) It is apparently a very exclusive tequila...but I'll tell you exactly what it tastes like:

Regular Tequila + water = Platino.

I told the girls this...they didn't look happy. But it was terrible - and my tablemates all agreed with my assessment. Sorry tequila girls, your shit sucks. Not my fault.

(Not to say I wouldn't have taken another shot has they given me more free booze...)

Next I decided to order the cava, but they were out, so they subbed in some very yummy champagne, which I downed elegantly sipped a few glasses one glass of.

Finally the wave of booze calm washed over me and I sunk back in my seat and remembered how much I love being in Milwaukee!

So today, I am feeling much better (save for the minor headache) and am looking forward to tonight's wedding - even if it is cold and rainy and the wedding is outdoors...

I'm sure there is more I am missing, but I need to hop in the shower to get ready for the wedding!

Wishing you all a fantastical weekend and blue, sunny skies!

Cheers,

Sweet Bea

No 360 degree mirror needed here, Stacy London...or Why I will NEVER Move Away from My Bestie

So, if you've read my tweets from this evening, you know that the dress I planned on wearing to this Friday's Milwaukee wedding that fit just last week or so now Will. Not. Fit. At. All.

I'm talking even with Spanx and hideous girdle-y type underoos would barely zip up.

And when it did, I looked a little like this. In other words: not pretty.

Here's what it looked like 5 years ago at my graduation party last week (honest!):

Sorry for the sloppy ribbon belt...it had been a looooooong night. Speaking of long - check out my hair!! (I'm obvi on the left, College Bestie PIC on the right)

Another sloppy ribbon belt pic. Notice the horrific red surnburn?? Yea...I barely walked in the ceremony, I matched our maroon caps and gowns. Bad bad bad news. I use sunscreen now...College Besties KJ and PIC on the left and right, respectively

The sash I bought at David's Bridal per Mrs. Newlywed's brilliant suggestion looked great...until I moved. And then it rode up from around my waist and gave my underwire a run for its money. Sigh.

When I added the wrap I bought and my shoes and pearl necklace, I looked absolutely ridiculous. Even Florida looked up from his boring ass exhilarating world history novel long enough to tell me I looked silly (but not fat, he said. Just silly.)

Freaking out since my plane left in less than 24-hours and I now had nothing to wear, I start tearing into my closet to find something, anything!, suitable for this wedding I already have no idea how to dress for.

I pulled out my new birthday maxi dress and tried a few options with it. Maybe...

Next comes my go-to strapless LBD that I've worn eleventy billion times every now and then since purchasing it my sophomore year of college (ASU ladies - anyone remember the name of the shop on Mill next to Z Gallerie-ish?? Small store, rude sales people, cute clothes??) This dress has possibilities.

I put the wrap and sash on...getting warmer, but still not right. Take the sash off. Put the sash back on. Try on different jewelry. Take off jewelry.

And on and on it goes. For an hour.

Frustrated and completely bewildered (and feeling like a sausage in my Spanx!) I call my Bestie.

Now I love this girl with all my heart - she is an amazing friend and I can't see myself in DC without her. But - she ain't perfect.

In fact, she often doesn't pick up her phone or return my texts. (Maybe she's just not that into me?)

So as her phone rang and rang and I grew more and more frustrated/worried/loud in my near-frantic cursing of her, I thought I was doomed to wear jeans to the wedding and start a new trend.

But she answered (mid-curse, mind you. I'm such a lady!)

Poor Bestie was still at work but would be headed home in about a half hour and would be available to help.

Thank GOD Bestie lives a mere 3 blocks away (she is, after all, the reason I picked our neighborhood when I moved into DC.) I packed ALL the dresses, ALL the jewelry, and ALL the accessories into my bag and scooted out the door at breakneck speed ready to topple small children, puppies, and old people who dare get in my way like a true, genteel lady.

Well in no time, she decided I would wear the black strapless dress and pulled out the PERFECT necklace and bangles for me to borrow (knowing full well there is a distinct possibility she will never get them back. I'm HORRIBLE about returning things unless you seriously remind me every day and threaten to take away our future play time!)

She also opined on what I should wear with the maxi dress (for my birthday dinner sometime next week) and even gave me an even MORE perfect sash to wear with the original turquoise dress in case I miraculously have this baby I'm somehow carrying in my belly stop retaining water in the next 48 hours. She is AWESOME.

So - here is the wedding outfit (I couldn't find anything but the shoes on stupid Polyvore or the Googles, so I made my own!)

A sneak peek into my bedroom. Yes that is a disco ball hanging from the doorknob. :)

close-up of Bestie's necklace. LOVE IT!

So you can see a bit more detail of the dress. It is incredibly simple, with just this ruching to the (food) baby bump.

So, long story short (too late!), Bestie has once again come to my aid and proven to me that I cannot survive unless she is rightthere to help me.

And I promise to give her her necklace and bangles back. Eventually...

Cheers,

Sweet Bea

PS - I'll be gone until Sunday, so expect at least one VERY IMPORTANT scheduled post. You won't want to miss it, I promise.

Will You Marry Me?

Dear Florida,

Can we please get married this summer? I would like this to be present at my wedding:

J.Crew's 'Sophia' Dress in Silk Chiffon

in this color for the MOH (because she has the most AMAZING blue eyes):

and in this color for the rest of the girls (because green is my fave color, obvi!):

and perhaps someone in this color too (or maybe just for me to wear!):

Thank you very much, honey.

Love,

Sweet Bea

PS: There is still time to enter my GIVEAWAY! Click here for all the details! It's super easy and a PERFECT item for the summer!! :)