Fat Bastard: Get In Ma Belly!

I wish I could balance out my love of food with my ever slowing metabolism and my lacksadaisical exercise regimen. Impossible!!! Lately, I've been having cravings for food. I guess I had to blog about food sooner or later. I get blog updates from my friend, JiYon, (yes, someone in our generation besides me blogs!) who quite frankly is obsessed about food. JiYon and Mian Mia are at the same caliber when it comes to loving food. However, Mian Mia can cook like no one's business and I don't know if JiYon has those abilities, so I give Mian Mia the edge when it comes to food obsession. She even subscribes to a 'technical' cooking magazine! She is truly the Korean Martha Stewart-Domestic Diva (let's do the kow tow in respect)!

I am not as obsessed as they are but I do highly appreciate food! I could really go on for pages about my favorite foods and restaurants but I will spare you all! A few things that I've been craving especially and a couple noteworthy restaurants that I tried recently:

Dim Sum and Then Sum:
Shui Wah in the new Chinatown Mall - Excellent Dim Sum! Every dish in the round containers was made with fresh ingredients and was steaming HOT! In the past few years, Phoenix restaurant has been my favorite. After going to Shui Wah (across the street from Joy Yee's), there is no comparison! I cannot go back to Phoenix now!

"Nooner":
Oodles of Noodles - I crave pasta often. Hence my inability to do the Atkins Diet ever. I dig the new Angel Hair Pasta with Fresh Artichoke dish. Purdy good!

Ding-a-ling-ling... Come and Get It! Dinner:
Cheesecake Factory - I've been having dreams about eating the Pasta Da Vinci. I have constant cravings for this yummy dish! Here's the description from the menu: Sauteed Chicken, Mushrooms, Onions and Garlic in a Delicious Madeira Wine Sauce Tossed with Penne Pasta and Parmesan. I am DROOLING just thinking about it!

No Meat, Please:
Green Zebra - I am not a vegetarian but I really enjoyed myself at this restaurant that the owner of Spring (one of my favorites) opened up.

Just for Kicks:
I have a weakness for chips and dip, especially salsa and guacamole.

I LOVE Flaming Hot Cheetos. I have to literally tell myself to get the small bag and only ONE. The Flaming Hot Snack Mix is also quite good.

Contrary to popular belief about women, I am not a huge chocolate lover EXCEPT when it comes to See's Toffee Bites, Oh Henry bars, and the Lava Molten Flourless Chocolate Cake (ooooooooooohhhhh!!! A MUST if it appears on the dessert menu!!!). I had it at Mia Francesca last week and it was CAROLICIOUS!! haha

So if you don't see me for awhile, don't be surprised if I am bigger when you see me next! You will know why! Maybe I'll get some "junk in my trunk" - which would be a good thing!

From The Dark Side And Back

Last week, I saw "Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith". My life is now complete - I've seen the six episodes of Star Wars to understand the whole story though it was backwards. It's no surprise that the movie explains Anakin Skywalker's crossover from the selfless public servants, the Jedi knights, to the Dark Side of The Force to become the ruthless Darth Vader. It reminded me of the book, "Wicked", that chronicled the life of a misunderstood girl who eventually became known as the Wicked Witch of the West. It's interesting - this concept of good versus evil. In cartoons, it was evident which side was good and which was evil. However, in real life as through the Star Wars movie and the "Wicked" book, good and evil are often blurred; a very grey area. I bring it up because I had a bad week with Attila at work and a few ticky tacky personal things. I was angry and pissed off at everything...I was definitely in The Dark Side. Thank goodness the weekend was fun and relaxing -- I was able to find my way out of The Dark Side and remember the important things in life and not let thing the non-important stuff affect my character. A re-cap of the weekend and a few silly stories:

The travelling continues this past weekend to....P-town, that is, Peoria, IL! I attend my friend Kareeeeee's wedding there. We stay at the Hotel Pere Marquette which on one side is the Sacred Heart church in which Kareeeeeeeeee's wedding ceremony takes place and on the other side is the famous Big Al's strip club!. Too funny! Despite Irim's non-existent navigational skills (warning to all!) we make it on time to the wedding and the 8-hour marathon drinking and dancing at the reception at Corner Stone. Corner Stone is an old catholic church converted into a reception hall. It is perfect for receptions because of the small and intimate ambience, complete with stained glass windows. Kareeeee's family are very welcoming and sweet. I love the fact that it was an international and national wedding - guests were from Germany, Finland, Ireland, and from the South, all gathered in the small Central Illinois town of Peoria.

Kari married Edwin Krieg and has become Kari Krieg.
Me: "Kari, I hope your middle name doesn't start with a 'K'."
Thank goodness it's Lynn! Phew!

Irim and I: "Hey, (Quiet As a Mouse) Paul! We will follow you! Don't lose us!"
In the longest detour ever to find the entrance to the interstate, the light is turning red. We expect Paul to stop at the street light or pull over to the side of the road. But noooooooo...what does he do?? He speeds away!!! Thanks to our ingenuity and street smarts, we find our way through the industrial part of Peoria and when we get on the highway, we surpass him and he's following us all the way back to Chicago! Take that!

Sugarfox, Ms. Wang Thang, and I are having drinks at Celebrity (no celebrity sightings yet!) with VP Jon who, I think, is in his '40's. He is single and precedes to tell us that he has been on 30 to 40 blind dates in the past few years. He must have some good stories to tell!
Us: "So tell us your worst blind date story."
VP Jon: "Well I was suppose to meet this woman for drinks downtown. She arrives and I ask her if she is hungry. She replies 'no' because she ate McDonald's on her way from the suburbs."
Us: "Uhh...and? So?!"

The Gwen Stefani song, "You Ain't No HollaBack Girl", starts playing and a little skit is created.
Girl #1: "Hey You! Come Back Here!"
Girl #2: (shakes her head)
Girl #1: "You Ain't No HollaBack Girl! You Ain't No HollaBack Girl!"

Andale, Attila the Hun!

I am almost blogged out with all that happened the last two weekends in Vegas. I knew I should have just stayed there. I am having a very stressful day at work as has been the case lately...all because of this one woman who I deem "Attila the Hun". She is the type of person who can be nice one minute...and then turn on you the next if she does not have her way. Anything that goes wrong, you feel the tension radiate from her. Then it makes everyone else on edge and pissy. I have never seen anyone so emotional at work. She is literally FREAKING out. I might be too laid back which probably can be bad at times. It was suggested to me that "she might not be getting any". I would believe it! In any case, I am getting a professional massage after these 'hot' issues are resolved and testing is over! Then I will have a party! Everyone is invited!

On to another Attila...Right when I say I need to appreciate my family more, my mom says something to piss me off. My mom is a typical Asian mother - she just LOVES to criticize, criticize...I have to admit that she was right about one thing but then she drags completely unrelated sh*t into it. ARGHHH!!

I think I would go nuts if I didn't have ESPANA to look forward to. Hey, peeps who are thinking about visiting me which should be ALL of you!! This link should hopefully give you inspiration to visit me in Barcelona and the rest of Andalucia (the southern and very BEAUTIFUL part of Spain):

http://www.dailycandy.com/article.jsp;jsessionid=642B1FCF55EBFD02028124F633314929?ArticleId=23198&city=5

I keep looking for "escapes" mostly through travel...and through illegal drugs ;). A wise Stroke Master said to me, "Happiness is a place you visit". Hmmm...something to ponder...

African Drums

I was driving with my parents to work as they were going to take my car while I took a taxi to the airport for Viva Las Vegas Part Deux. We actually laughed about a couple of things. Instead of usually being annoyed and curt at them, I genuinely enjoyed their company. Appreciating my family has been one area that I struggle with constantly. Sad to say, but I believe when I create distance between us by moving out is when our relationship will vastly improve. I am very thankful for them and they do a lot for me so I hope that I can be the best daughter I can be someday [music from the "Be All You Can Be" Army song plays in the background]. A momentary lapse in reflection but now, on to the good stuff...

As for Part Deux, 11 girls went to celebrate Christine and Sarah's impending end of bachelorettehood. Both Las Vegas trips this month were super FUNNNN. I would characterize Part One as wild and insane and Part Deux as goofy girl fun. Tidbits from Part Deux:

• First night is Rain in the Desert @the Palms where all these Asian or gross men, not mutually exclusive, hit on us.
• After about 4 hours of sleep, I spend 5 hours in the 100+ degree heat and blazing sun at the Aladdin pool. Asian men from Toronto hit on us. My face and body is literally DRIPPING in sweat. Sexy huh? I then resolve not to talk to any more Asian men (no offense to my Asian male homies). Celebrity sighting for those who care: Fat Joe who apparently is not black as I had thought.
• Erikka reveals her near-blinding white body to the Aladdin masses. Her attempts at a tan are so laughable that Nga Nga compares Erikka's legs to "frozen chicken thighs". As Nga and I have built up our tan reserves from previous trips, we are the "wheat bread" and Erikka is the "turkey meat in the middle".
• While some of us are burning in the sun, Irim and Gracie spend hours at the slot machines like little old ladies who were bussed in from Chinatown. What "Slut" Machine Crayzies they are. Oops, I mean "Slot" Machine Crayzies. Excuse my Freudian slip =D.
• Scooby Dooby Doo Nga...Where are you?? After a sweltering day at the pool, it could make any of us a little loopy but not letting her off the hook so easily. We're watching the big screen TV in our PHAT suite. There is a weird, maggoty terror flick on the USA channel. Nga uses the remote and again, the weird flick shows up. Sugarfox exclaims, "Whoa..this flick is on multiple channels!". Silly Rabbit, Trix are for kids. Doh! She was pressing the Volume button instead of the Channel button.
• While getting ready to paint the town red, we are told of an Irim shower scene in which her attempts at shielding her nakedness actually leads to exposing all of it to Gracie. Gracie-babe, you are soooo lucky! Gracie-babe then re-enacts for us with towels being thrown in the air, bursting through the shower door, and ending with her sprawled on the floor. TOO FUNNY!!
• Dinner at Todai @Aladdin, a Japanese buffet. I am told that it is better than the Todai in Schaumburg. And I find out there is one in my hometown of Skokes!
• Two words: African Drumming. OMG. LOL.
• Two other words: Bite Marks. OWWWIEE. Let's pray for rabies shots.
• Then a good amount of time at Lure @the Wynn. We were told by the Patrick Swayze Talker to not go to Lure because "It is old and busted and we are new hotness." I admit there were some oldies and marrieds here (not my thang) but we definitely enjoyed ourselves. It is a posh lounge that played awesome house music. Two girls who I won't mention their names went down for the count at around 3a.m. Now this is a real bachelorette party!!!
• Escape from Alcatraz #1: Let's see...there is also table dancing, stripper moves, and "Vin Diesel". Then these 3 sub-par men attempt to take us to La Bete also @the Wynn (see comments from Part One). We hide in the women's bathroom. When the coast was clear, we made a break for it, ducking behind slot machines to successfully escape.
• We run into Patrick Swayze Talker and "2..4..6..8..who do we appreciate? Kevin! Kevin!". With our bachlorette handcuffs, I am cuffed to "2..4..6..8..who do we appreciate? Kevin! Kevin!". In the perfectly choreographed rendition of the "Catch and Release" move, I release myself and spin, spin, spin...and end up in the marigolds at the Wynn. Later on, we document the final performance on memory card. Very dramatic finale. If you are lucky and I am drunk enough, I will re-enact for you.
• Escape from Alcatraz #2: The boyz plead to get us to go to their suite but with one Neanderthal-like move, that possibility becomes negative one thousand. We hide out in the bathroom AGAIN and try to make our escape but "2..4..6..8..who do we appreciate? Kevin! Kevin!" catches us. He is no longer appreciated and finally gets the hint.
• Escape from Alcatraz #3: We meet a LV woman in the now-very-familiar-bathroom at Wynn who used to live in Chicago. She and her hubby try to get us to go to Forty Deuces, a burlesque club. She also said Ice is a good club for old school hip hop. We think they are swingers...We, of course, escape them...
• In line for the taxi, I say to this random dude who hits on our yellow-shirted foxy lady, "Please do not touch my camera again, Random Dude". He responds, "Sure thing, Random Woman".
• We get a booty call from Vin but sorry, Vin, gotta turn you down.
• At the Zanzibar Cafe @the Aladdin, Nga and I stave off the munchies. Indian Dude #1 asks for a freedom fry and she obliges. Then Indian Dude #2 from the same group of friends also asks for a freedom fry. This time, no obliging and I say to him, "You lack originality." He gets extremely salty. In retaliation for my offending comment, he returns the freedom fry to us. That's a lil better. Hah. He's still smarting from the comment as we say our good-byes.
• The next day, we chant, Zanzibar! Zanzibar! now and then for good humor.
• I am buzzing (like a bee) and want to stay up even though it is 5a.m. After losing the last standing awake comrade, I start bopping Nga-ty, Mocha-Treena, and Gracie-babe with a certain "toy". Gracie-babe whines, "Caaarrrrroollll...can you use the 'toy' to go play with yourself". Teehee. Then Nga-ty Nga-cita chases me around the suite with the "toy". Finally, I relent and yield to some sleep finally at 6a.m.
• We run into Toronto Asian Boys @Paris the next morning. Oops, I never called them back. I fret that it was a b*tchy move but not for too long...Hah.

This is all you will get for Part Deux, I am afraid because... of that that good ole tried and true phrase, "WHIV, SIV". Pictures and video clips from the weekend are threatening its way to the general public...we will see how negotiations go...but just in case, be on the look out for the "A Night in [fill in a girl from the trip's name here]" or "African Drums" DVDs to hit a local adult videostore near you. Kidding, of course!

I'm gonna miss you, Vegas. It is wonderful because it is a place I can truly escape from...not just from creepy boys and strange swingers...but from the everyday ho hum that life can be. It's like a drug, it is that addicting. Every morning, as I drive to work, I will yearn for that high of being free to party and partake in whatever I please. I guess I had to go back to reality at some point...but begrudgingly...VERY begrudgingly...

[Picture me, kicking and screaming... NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!]

Viva Las Vegas Part One

Ah, Las Vegas...Whenever I visit this desert town with its grandeur of lights and people, I am constantly astounded. Las Vegas is larger than life and as Americana as you can get. It appeals to the vices of all kinds of people, young and old, and from all walks of life. It is hedonism and indulgence - it is, afterall, Sin City.

Part One of two back-to-back Las Vegas weekend trips is to celebrate Kareeeeeee's last weeks of single-ness before she ties the knot with her supertall German fiancee in central Illinois. A run-down of the weekend:

• Friday, 5/13: After a super busy day at work, I make it to the airport to find out the flight is delayed 1 1/2 hours! ARGHH!
• Saturday, 5/14: I finally arrive in LAS at 12:30am. This University of Hawaii kid on the shuttle asks "Where do you go?". Oh, bless your heart!!! Then, I go straight out to...
• The Rubber Club @Seven- uhmmm, let's just say "no" to that. Kareee, her ex-college roommates, cousins, and Edwin's sister are incredibly drunk...and tons of fun! Next on the stop is...
• La Bete @Wynn (brand new casino & hotel) - This lounge/club has an outdoor fountain and is pretty swanky. I like it and would go back. We meet Boston Bob and Toolbox Neil here. We close the place down and with my drink poured into a plastic cup (another plus of LAS), we make our way to...
• Drai's @the Barbary Coast - I must note I was completely smashed at this point. I meet an Argentinian and Dr. Chicago at this late night-hook-it-up club. Then at 7a.m. we go to have Korean.
• My advice: Never have Korean food on the strip. It was salty and nasty.
• Finally, after 28 hours, I am asleep at 9a.m.
• Back up at 1p.m. My head is pounding from a hangover. We hit the Aladdin pool and it is SCORCHING hot. The pool is actually better than I remembered from my last visit.
• We get a call from Kareeee at 5:30p.m. who JUST woke up! Someone had it exceptionally BAD!! LOL - Now, this is a real bachelorette party!
• We have dinner at The Grand Wok @MGM Grand. An Asian restaurant and it was pretty good - excellent Wonton Noodle soup, Nasi Goreng (spicey Indonesian fried rice), and Dragon rolls.
• The new Cirque du Soleil show "KA" @MGM Grand - I would say the storyline is good and the costuming and set design are amazing. I was disappointed that they focused too much on the previously mentioned items and not enough of the thrilling acrobatic acts. It is similar to their "O" show @the Bellagio in this way, which I also gave a mediocre review. The "Alegria", "Dralion", and my favorite "Mystere" @Treasure Island shows are much more captivating.
• Sunday, 5/15: Tangerine @Treasure Island - The girls crankily go out late Saturday night/early Sunday morning but it turns out to be a fun night. Tangerine plays some good hip hop beats and has intermittent burlesque acts. It is a really small club and can get very crowded. Annoying dreadlock-haired men freak the beejezuz out of Jenny, Mia meets an NYPD detective, and I meet Eric, a sweet Cali boy of Mexican heritage.
• Rain in the Desert @the Palms - I always have a blast here. We're dancing, dancing, dancing....and I close out the club...then eating and hang out til the wee hours...
• I finally get some shut-eye in the afternoon around 2:30p.m. for 1 1/2 hours....Then, Irim and I take a visit to....
• The Claude Monet exhibit @the Bellagio - Excellent showcase of Monet's works. I love that with all the craziness that occurs in Vegas, I can also check out an art exhibit. An hour stint at the slot machines pays for...
• Dinner at Le Cafe ile St. Louis @Paris - Food is expensive in LV BUT at this restaurant, I had the Chicken Marsala for $16.95 that included a glass of wine which normally costs $7 a glass. What a deal!!!
• Monday, 5/16: I get 3 hours and 5 minutes of shut-eye on the Red Eye flight. Back in Chi-Town at 4:30a.m., get 2 hours of sleep, and then I'm at my desk at 9a.m...PHEW!

What an incredible weekend of NO sleep and TONS of CRAZY FUN!!!! As for any specific details of the weekend, I coyly respond: "What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas!".

I am now resting up for Part Deux...starting this Friday!

Pictures from going out Saturday (5/7/05) at FOUR to celebrate (yet again) IRIM & My Birthdays! I had a blast! Sorry, some of these pics are R-rated! Thanks for all the shots/drinks or just showing up! MUAH! MUAH! 

Monster Truck Rally

On this cloudy and rainy Hump Day, I have a few "bloggable" mentionables. FYI - BLOG and TWERD are respectively, my new favorite word and greeting.

So Gracie calls me up last night at 11:45p.m. and says in her cute squeaky voice in a rush, "Carol-ladee, I have 15 minutes to wish you a Happy Birthday!". I shake my head and with a smile, I respond "Gracie-babe, my birthday was actually yesterday but thanks!!". So silly but she has the best intentions as always.

Thanks to Raj, I am thoroughly embarrassed about my completely misconstruing "whales migrating" as "whales mating". I was confused as to why whales mating would be #1 on the list of the 50 Things to Do Before You Die...I'm sure everyone was dying of laughter as I was yesterday afternoon! Then, this morning, guess which "thing" was featured on the "Live for Today" segment?!? And let me tell you, it was HOT...a la Paris Hilton HOT!

I was driving along on my normal boring commute this morning on the now-hated Golf Road (not as despised as I-55 though). I was in the turn lane, waiting at the light when in my rearview mirror I see this SUV climb over the median and is halfway on top of the car behind me. It was something out of a Monster Truck Rally! Luckily, the drivers were fine. I was in shock this morning because it was the car right BEHIND me! If the SUV driver had been driving a little faster, the driver of the other car could have been killed! It was a little too close for comfort...especially before my first sip of coffee...

The Redhead

I received an e-mail from my friend, Rebecca, who I've known for a long time. A few random memories:

• Old Orchard Junior High School (OOJHS) - she was/is extremely jealous of my "extra A" for neat handwriting in taking notes from Mr. Pasternak - which until now, I avoid bringing up under any circumstances.
• Niles North High School (NNHS) - in gym class, we were both sooooo competitive in badminton matches (hmmm...who is in for some shuttlecock play?!) but we could not win! It was tragic how badly we wanted to win but did not! We were also both on the "North Star" newspaper staff; I was the News Editor and Rebecca was the Editorial Editor. One name: Jaclyn Pryor. During late nights before the paper would go into print (Yasmeen & JiYon, remember?!?), there would be the doomsday battle: Rebecca vs. Jaclyn. Jaclyn was such a character. Junior year, Jaclyn and I played #1 Doubles on the Varsity Tennis team and anytime there would be a chance to kill the ball, she would yell at me to "Take it Away!". I could barely hit the ball because I was laughing so hard. I wonder what she is up to now and hope she is doing well. She was definitely a crayzeee!
• Bloomington co-hort - Thank goodness you were there for me to hang out with during the Dark Year of travelling back and forth (Death to I-55!!!).

Although I keep in touch with her frequently, typing her name just now gave me a few flashbacks from the past. She sent the below joke - it gave me a good chuckle today!

---------------------------

A gorgeous young redhead goes into the doctor's office and says that her body hurts wherever she touches it.

"Impossible!" says the doctor. "Show me."

The redhead takes her finger, pushes on her left breast and screams. Then she pushes her elbow and screams in even more agony. She pushes her knee and screams; likewise she pushes her ankle and screams. Everywhere she touches makes her scream.

The doctor says, "You're not really a redhead, are you?"

"Well, no" she says, "I'm actually a blonde."

"I thought so," the doctor says. "Your finger is broken."

### (end of copy)

It's Not An Ordinary Kind of Life

This week, there were two sweet stories featured on the "Today" show, my favorite morning show. On a side note, how do Matt Lauer and Katie Couric wake up before the crack of dawn and be so chipper on national TV? I can barely roll out of bed at 7:30a.m. Sometimes I wish I was a morning person but I LOVE sleep!

Back on topic, there is a segment called "Live for Today" in which the show identified a list of 50 Things To Do Before You Die. Scan through this list and see if you can cross any of these off and also determine which items inspire you to get your lazy a$$ off the couch:

Watch whales migrate (uhmmmmm....ewww!!!)
Go white water rafting (West Virginia, baby!) See wild game on an African safari
Find a long-lost friend
Learn to dance (Hao - this is for you =) )
Fly a plane
Drive a NASCAR race car
Appear on Broadway
Dive the Great Barrier Reef (after getting PADI-certified would be awesome)
Skydive (Done it! it's AWESOME!)
Golf on a world famous course (need to practice more or it would be embarrassing)
Travel the Nile in Egypt (who wants to go with me?)
Be serenaded by a Venetian gondolier (sure, if it's a he and HOT)
Swim with the dolphins
Play with an orchestra
Paint the Big Apple red (oh yeah, love the NYC)
Float in a hot air balloon
Sip a mint julep at the Kentucky Derby
Visit the Oval Office (not while George W. is in office)
Trace your roots
Helicopter over a Hawaiian volcano
Ride a mule down the Grand Canyon
Stroll along the Great Wall of China (It's amazing! You can see it from space!)
Cruise in a Ferrari
See the Taj Mahal at sunrise (ooooh...Yasmeen - take me!)
Walk the Inca trail at Macchu Picchu (An ABSOLUTE must!)
Ride a Harley down an open road
Feed sharks (...and get eaten alive?! NO THANKS!)
Scale a famous peak
Explore a Rain Forest
Learn to be a cowboy
Play ball in a Major League park
Prepare the world's finest meal
Be an extra in a movie
Gaze upon a magnificent waterfall
Horseback ride along a beach
Conquer a fear
Ride a steamboat down the Mississippi
Dive in a submarine
Taste the finest wine
Run a marathon (...from a fun run to marathon...)
Write a song or poem for someone you love
Volunteer overseas (a great idea!)
Visit a nudist colony (I'm game...who's with me?!?)
Explore the Alaskan wilderness
Hover in a blimp
Eat a cheeseburger in paradise
Run with the bulls in Pamplona (visit me en Espana!!!)
Say a special thank you
Experience weightlessness

Anyway, the segment documents ordinary people who accomplish one of the above items. I found the following stories particularly heartwarming:

• This little English boy has a disease that is causing him to lose his eyesight. His parents decide to sell their stake in a company to finance an around-the-world family trip so that he will be able to see and do as much as he can before he loses his eyesight completely. Although it makes me sad that he will someday lose his eyesight, it's fantastic that he will be able to see and do more things than most people do in a lifetime. And he can treasure those memories for a lifetime. [I believe it fell under paint the Big Apple red. I am busy getting ready in the morning so couldn't get all the details...)
• A 50-something year old woman (forget her name but let's call her Amy) had dated a guy nicknamed "Dude" 30-some years ago in college and had broken up. She then became pregnant and gave up the baby girl, Kate, for adoption. Flash forward to the present, the baby girl grows up and searches for her birth mother. Kate tracks Amy down and together they search for the father and former beau, Dude. Amy meets Dude for coffee...which turns into dinner...which then turns into dessert. The chemistry is still there. Amy and Dude then meet up with Kate to spend time together and get to know each other. Slowly, Amy and Dude fall back in love with each other. Dude proposes and Amy accepts. Finally after 30-some years, the first loves re-unite, acqaint themselves with their daughter, and get married. [I think this one was find a long lost friend]

Check out the msnbc.com site and follow the Today Show link for video clips. Brought a tear to the eye (weep, weep).

A collage of the 'Best of the '80's" from the night. Can you guess who the award winners are? 

Rockin' the Eighties

At Miss Mia's place on Saturday night, I ensured that the bright blue eye shadow was smeared with perfection all over my eyelids; my lips were a shiny pink; my hair was properly crimped; the bangs reached their full vertical potential; and my off the shoulder with tank top, mini-skirt, fishnets, and legwarmers (actually old soccer socks cut up) outfit were like, totally RAD. Amazing how clothes, make-up, hair and retro music could propel me back to the '80's when I was an awkward pre-teen! What a time-warp!

Thanks to Sara's brilliant idea and event planning skillz combined with Janet's excellent decorating designs, Miz Mia, Irim, and I had a birthday party that we will soon hardly forget! Some highlights of the evening:

• Blue Eye Shadow Nazi-Sara demanding that Janet put on even more blue eye shadow
• Six people with hands connected simulated a snake moving with their arms (excuse my ignorance but is that called something?? "The Snake"?!?)
• Learning how to do the Michael Jackson "Thriller" dance
• Moonwalking but without the silver glove
• Wearing twisting rubber bracelets - thanks, Stella L!
• Gracie Kim...no, I mean Song...walking like an Egyptian and then getting me to do it...then I synchronized walkin like an Egyptian with Nga
• I told Jenn-ae that she should "tweeze" her bangs instead of "tease"...oops...LOL
• Stand Up Girl (salute!) and Irim go into battle with their respective Robot moves (...and it is not a pretty sight =) )
• DJ Jin failed to keep the music going at one point which prompted the Material Girrrls to break into "Total Eclipse of the Heart" acapello
• Mia, Irim and I pseudo re-enacting the Molly Ringwald-Hotty McHot Hot "Jake" kiss from "Sixteen Candles" over 17 pink chocolate cupcakes
• Irim, who will be turning THIRTY (30) this week, spinning on the floor breakdancing with James (future Mr. SongYu) helping her spin around on her backside...then finishing sideways on the floor in the arm bent, hand holding up the head position......HILARIOUS
• A party is not a REALLY good party if the cops do not come to bust it up. Then Nga trying to bribe the cops with Tanqueray-10 and Gracie but to no avail...Darn it - why didn't someone bring donuts?!?
• And finally, the next morning, the bangs DID NOT MOVE EVEN A MILLIMETER!!...Good to know that AquaNet still defies gravity like no other!

THANK YOU to everyone who came and made it a special night! It was great fun briefly re-living a more simple, innocent period! Two questions:

1. What's the next decade? and...
2. When's the next party?!?

And this was just the kick-off to the birthday celebration as I have one more week of enjoying life as a 27-year old! Love ya all!