"If you're going to San Francisco, be sure to wear some flowers in your hair..."

Wow... I am not a very good blogger at all these days.  Blurgh.  And how is it already September?!  I promise I'll catch up on my posts one day.  To start, here's a quick recap of my birthday trip to San Francisco... 

Mary and I decided to road trip to NorCal.  One thing that made the trip decidedly more enjoyable was this song suggestion from my music savvy brother (which quickly became our theme song of the weekend....)

Inspired by an amazing California playlist and the hope of a glorious weekend, we made it from LA to SF in potentially record-breaking time.  We stayed with our dear friend Valerie (who went to OU with us and used to be Mar's roommate in NY) in her quintessentially San Franciscan townhouse. (and we went to an incredible Indian restaurant around the corner for my birthday din... pictured here). :-)

The next day, after a bottomless mimosa brunch, we entered the woods of Golden Gate Park (literally) to  go to Outside Lands...

It was fuh-reeezing in SF!  I knew it would be chillier than LA, so I purchased a new lightweight sweater for the occasion and packed a couple scarves... but wow, I was completely unprepared.  In the evenings, I think this mid-August music festival was colder than the coldest winter's day in LA.  I might be slightly exaggerating... but I was thrilled to borrow my friend Natalie's furry Russian hat thing for a bit. Yowza. 

There were approximately 60,000 people and extremely spotty cell service at the festival, so if you got separated from your party, it was not a good thing.  Therefore, many people had distinct beacons they would hold up in the large crowds to summon their people.  One of my favorites was this large staff. (I also very much enjoyed the cute little Outside Lands photo frame Mary could use with her app). 

My favorite show was probably Best Coast (even though she had been tweeting about how sick she was and she came on stage wrapped in a shawl and carrying hot tea, so she appeared to be on the verge of death).  She played on the small stage, so we got to be really close.  She didn't let her the fact that she felt horrible keep her down... she put on a really great show!  My other favorite sets include: Foster the People (so adorable and fun. I now have crushes on every member of the band), the Black Keys (Mary and I actually maneuvered our way through the extreme crowds to get pretty close for this one! They are so freaking talented... I can't believe the band consists of only 2 guys?!), and Girl Talk (imagine a crazy dance party in the middle of a forest with tens of thousands of people.  That was this).

One night we took a little drive across the lovely Golden Gate Bridge.  

In addition to 3 days of great music, there festival also featured wine tasting and a plethora of amazing food.  Mary and I sampled from many wineries across Cali in the Wine Lands tent one day (which I kind of wish we would have done every day...) ;-) 

My darling Sheri was there too! (and miraculously, we actually found each other)!

Mary is my favorite concert partner. (and check out her awesome new sunglasses... perhaps the best purchase of the weekend). 

On the way home, we took the more scenic route which included the gorgeous 17 Mile Drive at Pebble Beach.  I love seeing new parts of my state!  It's so, so pretty.

We then toasted to our wonderful SF weekend at the 18th hole at the Pebble Beach golf course, which I think is safe to say is the most beautiful place I've ever eaten lunch. :-) 

And thus concludes one of the best birthday weekends ever!  I absolutely loved Outside Lands and San Francisco and will definitely be making return trips to both. (and THANKS AGAIN, Mar, for coming all the way here to celebrate with me). :-) 

xoxo, 

Annie. 

The Big 2-6

My birthday came and went and oh how glorious it was.  Definitely one of my better birthday celebrations. Mary flew in and got to be there for my party at Birds, which approximately 50(ish) of my dear friends attended. It was so fun to have all my different groups of friends in one place (and have Mar there to meet them!). Sweet Natalie even made me a delicious birthday cake. :-) The lovely people at Birds definitely added to the celebration as well... putting up a very quaint homemade 'Happy Birthday Annie' sign in the "birdcage" area I reserved, putting up balloons, having the entire bar sing happy birthday over the loudspeaker, and bringing me the largest drink I have ever seen. (Thanks guys!). It was fun, fun, fun. 

Last year, I made a list of goals for when I was 25.  I didn't get around to all of them, but I can happily mark several of them off the list....

• Go to San Francisco. (Mary and I went last weekend for Outside Lands and I loved it! Another post on that coming soon).

• Visit Mary in New York (again). (BOO for me. But don't worry... I'll be buying a ticket for another Thanksgiving trip to NYC very soon). 
• Do yoga at least one time a week. (Blurgh. I sadly can't cross this one off.  Due to moving far away from my amazing gym with amazing yoga classes, I have definitely missed many weeks, and my untoned arms are an unfortunate result). 
• Go on a cruise. (This goal was a bit lofty/unrealistic. Dream big, right?)
• Read for pleasure. (I recently said to dear Garrett, "I'm totally into reading now because of The Hunger Games!"  He immediately burst into laughter and still likes to make fun of me for that ridiculously 14-year-old schoolgirl sounding quote, but it's true... this series is SO good. I'm the second book of the trilogy now and I'm loving it). 
• Rest more. (hmm... don't think I can technically cross this one off yet either. I'm a perpetually busy tired girl...ha). 
• Buy a new car. (I've said it before, I'll say it again... honestly the most "adult" thing I've ever done.)

• Visit C-Gunn in Austin. (Good thing, too, because she got an amazing new job at OU and no longer lives in the wonderful city of Austin).
• Keep my new apartment organized/simplified. (For the most part, anyway).
• Ride bikes along the beach. (I think the bike I was riding had a semi-flat tire, but it was still a fun experience, nonetheless). 

• Go to my brother’s graduation from OU in May. (I was so proud. Boomer Sooner, little brother). 
• Blog more. (hmm... due to my recent slacking in this department, not so sure I should mark this off right now...)
• Enjoy this year to the fullest. J (Cheers!)

And now my goals for this shiny new big age....

• Call my grandparents more.
• Go to Catalina Island. 
• Play tennis.
• Expand my cooking horizons.
• Fly a kite on the beach
• Have a bonfire on the beach.
• Have a 'girls weekend' with Mary and our mothers.
• Go to more museums. 
• Have Thanksgiving in NY with Mary.
• Visit Kayla in Denver.
• Blog more.
• Rest more.
• Pray more.
• Be in a flash mob.
• Get an iPhone.
• Enjoy this year to the fullest. :-)

Bring it on, 2-6.  I'm ready. 

xoxo, 

Annie. 

Movie Review Monday

Hello darlings.  I've seen several great summer movies recently, so I thought I'd share some insight.  Hopefully they will aide in your cinematic choices this week. :-) 


Crazy, Stupid, Love

Synopsis from rottentomatoes.com: At 40-something, straight-laced Cal Weaver (Steve Carell) is living the dream-good job, nice house, great kids and marriage to his high school sweetheart. But when Cal learns that his wife, Emily (Julianne Moore), has cheated on him and wants a divorce, his "perfect" life quickly unravels. Worse, in today's single world, Cal, who hasn't dated in decades, stands out as the epitome of un-smooth. Now spending his evenings sulking alone at a local bar, the hapless Cal is taken on as wingman and protégé to handsome, 30-something player Jacob Palmer (Ryan Gosling).
My thoughts: I've already seen this movie 3 times, and I would gladly see it again.  It is by far the best movie I've seen this year.  It's hilarious and touching and smart and I think it's safe to say that Ryan Gosling is the hottest guy on the planet.  You should absolutely go see this one.  For suuure.


Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2

Synopsis from rottentomatoes.com (on which it has an almost unheard of 97% rating): Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2, is the final adventure in the Harry Potter film series. The much-anticipated motion picture event is the second of two full-length parts. In the epic finale, the battle between the good and evil forces of the wizarding world escalates into an all-out war. The stakes have never been higher and no one is safe. But it is Harry Potter who may be called upon to make the ultimate sacrifice as he draws closer to the climactic showdown with Lord Voldemort. It all ends here.
My thoughts: I'm definitely what you would call a "casual fan" of Harry Potter.  I haven't read any of the books, and I only watched the movies for the first time after I started at Warner Bros (since I kind of needed to know what I was marketing). ;-) That said, I THOROUGHLY enjoyed this grand finale of the epic franchise. There's a clear reason it's broken practically every box office record ever. (And I personally think it fully deserves a Best Picture nomination at the Oscars this year). Do not miss this one.  


Midnight in Paris

Synopsis from rottentomatoes.com: This is a romantic comedy set in Paris about a family that goes there because of business, and two young people who are engaged to be married in the fall have experiences there that change their lives. It's about a young man's great love for a city, Paris, and the illusion people have that a life different from theirs would be much better. 
My thoughts: Quaint. Creative. Beautiful. (Although Rachel McAdams, whom I love, plays kind of a biatch). It made me want to go to Europe again so badly. :-) If it's unfortunately not playing at a theater near you, this has adorable movie night date written all over it. 


Another Earth

Synopsis from rottentomatoes.com: Rhoda Williams, a bright young woman accepted into MIT's astrophysics program, aspires to explore the cosmos. A brilliant composer, John Burroughs, has just reached the pinnacle of his profession and is about to have a second child with his loving wife. On the eve of the discovery of a duplicate Earth, tragedy strikes and the lives of these strangers become irrevocably intertwined. Estranged from the world and the selves they once knew, the two outsiders begin an unlikely love affair and reawaken to life. But when one is presented with the chance of a lifetime opportunity to travel to the other Earth and embrace an alternative reality, which new life will they choose?
My thoughts: I feel like this movie is completely under the radar, which is a shame because it's really great!  The way it's shot kind of feels like a student film at times, but overall, it's a really original, compelling story  that's well-written and well-acted. I definitely recommend this one as well. 


Horrible Bosses

Synopsis from rottentomatoes.com: For Nick (Jason Bateman), Kurt (Jason Sudeikis) and Dale (Charlie Day), the only thing that would make the daily grind more tolerable would be to grind their intolerable bosses (Kevin Spacey, Colin Farrell, Jennifer Aniston) into dust. Quitting is not an option, so, with the benefit of a few-too-many drinks and some dubious advice from a hustling ex-con (Jamie Foxx), the three friends devise a convoluted and seemingly foolproof plan to rid themselves of their respective employers... permanently. There's only one problem: even the best laid plans are only as foolproof as the brains behind them. 
My thoughts: This movie is HILARIOUS.  I laughed out loud many times. (After watching the trailer just now, I really want to see it again actually... ha).  If you like to laugh, you will like this movie. 


Friends With Benefits

Synopsis from rottentomatoes.com: Dylan (Justin Timberlake) and Jamie (Mila Kunis) think it's going to be easy to add the simple act of sex to their friendship, despite what Hollywood romantic comedies would have them believe. They soon discover however that getting physical really does always lead to complications.
My thoughts: I was excited to see this movie because I wrote coverage on the script when I interned at Sony 4 years ago (ha!).  It's predictable and very similar to "No Strings Attached"which came out earlier this year, but if you're looking for a mindless, funny-at-times, R-rated rom com, here ya go.


In other news, it's my birthday week! I'm very excited about the wonderful things that will happen this week including MARY COMING TO VISIT!!  cha chiiiing.  She gets in Wednesday (just in time for my birthday party that night!) and then we're road-tripping up the coast to the Outside Lands music festival in San Francisco. Can. Not. Wait. :-)

xoxo, 

Annie. 

8:11-July Highlights

July was a fun-filled whirlwind, and I loved it.  I'm going to go ahead and say it was my favorite month of 2011 so far. Family vacation, reunions with old friends, and Caroline's wedding were just a few of the things that made last month so wonderful.  Here are those things (and more!) captured in my 8:11 photos. :-) 

8:11-words cannot express how excited i am to be in denver with this little ball of fun. (@kaylashakira). holla.

8:11-reunited with my wonderful family for a relaxing vacation in beautiful pagosa springs! Yesss.

8:11-enjoying delicious wine and the hot tub on our last night in CO. We don't want to leave! :-(

 8:11-delish din at lorrin's before #CrazyStupidLove for oh you know..my 3RD time. Ha. Its so good! 

8:11-"friends with benefits" screening w/ @katiehutchings. really funny!

 8:11-at the GORGEOUS wedding of @CarolineGaris & @blakekellybrown. so happy for my "little sister"!

8:11-daiquiris for the #bachelorette watch party. yesss. Cheers to hometown date night!

 8:11-#harrypotter 7a watch party...butter beer included. (Which is delicious, by the way). Holla!

 8:11-enjoying the pretty tunes of Jinah's amazing band, City Bird, at a gallery in eagle rock.

8:11-screening of "another earth" at @TheAcademy w/ pj and @GarrettFBaker. Two thumbs up! For real.

8:11-los feliz street fair w/ @MassageLizard. My neighborhood is so legit. I love it.

Two thumbs up, July.  A wonderful intro to the best month of the year: August (my birthday month)! Holla. 

xoxo, 

Annie. 

Happy 3 Year Anniversary, Los Angeles.

A few days ago marked my 3rd year of living in lovely, crazy, wonderful LA. I can't believe I've lived here that long... yowza! I think I'll commemorate the momentous anniversary the same way I did last year... so here you have it:

Three Years in LA by the Numbers

• Number of apartments lived in: 3 (1 month in Hermosa Beach, 23 months in Miracle Mile, 12 months in Los Feliz).
• Number of plays/musicals seen: 13

• Number of jobs I held simultaneously for a brief period of time: 3 
• Number of days before I realized I wasn't a super-human and quit one of the aforementioned jobs: 2
• Number of bosses I've had: 5
• Number of times at the Oscars: 3

• Number of boys I've dated (and by dated I mean to have gone on more than 2 dates with…haha): 5

• Number of trips home to OK/Texas to visit the fam: 8
• Number of professional LA sporting events attended: 4 (2 Dodgers games, 1 Lakers game, 1 Kings game)
• Number of Vegas trips: 2

• Number of freaking earthquakes (that I've actually felt): 3
• Number of times wine tasting: 1
• Number of weddings attended: 4

• Number of times I've been in the audience of television show tapings: 7 (Jimmy Kimmel Live (twice), Ellen (thrice), SYTYCD, and Dancing with the Stars... all of which have been when mother is here visiting with the exception of one Ellen taping when Kayla was visiting...ha). 
• Number of traffic violation tickets: 1 (blurghhh).
• Number of times to Disneyland: 1

• Number of times I've seen my 2nd favorite band, The Sounds: 3

• Number of times I've seen my all-time favorite band, Jacks Mannequin: 5
• Number of movies watched at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery: 2

• Number of hours spent in my car: too many to count :-( 
• Number of hours spent on the beach: too many to count  :-) 

Happy Anniversary, darling LA. Thanks for a fun three years.  Excited to see what's up next... 

xoxo, 

Annie.

Annie's Notes of Caroline Getting Married (aka the Wedding of the Century: Part 2)

I was extremely excited for Caroline's July wedding for many reasons:

• It was being held in Duncan, my hometown which I have not been to for over a year since my parents moved to Houston. 
• I would get to see Mary... always a cause for great excitement. 
• Another tagline for the incredible bachelorette party in Vegas was "Why party like a rockstar when you can party like a Garis?"... so we all knew it was going to be a damn good party. 
• And finally, I was so excited to see Caroline, who I've literally known since she was born and have always considered to be the little sister I never had, be the most beautiful bride ever. 

I was not the only one excited for this joyous wedding celebration.  This event had been quite the talk of the town, or so I've been told.  I witnessed this excitement myself as I was getting my nails done the day of the wedding.  I think every person there was talking about the evening's big event.  Literally.

And Caroline absolutely did not disappoint.  She was a BEAUTIFUL bride and everything about the wedding was just exquisite and incredible.  Here are some of my favorite photos of the festivities.

My lovely family... love them so much. 

Carol's bridal party walked in to a stringed quartet version of The Beatles "All You Need is Love"...so original and cute.  The beautiful bride walked in to the traditional wedding march and gave us all chills and teary eyes...she was breathtaking!  (ps--I love the timing of this photo... check out the Terracina clan there on the left.) 

The groom kissed the bride not once... but three times! Ha. 

Following a cocktail hour (that was a huge reunion with many, many people from Duncan I hadn't seen in YEARS), we were given our dinner table assignments in this GORGEOUS room. It may be extremely difficult for anyone from Duncan to believe... but this is the Simmons Center!?!  For everyone not from Duncan, the Simmons Center is a large rec/convention center in town, and these large convention rooms are where we held everything from summer camp to company Christmas parties to prom...and I can assure you that never ever in its entire existence has it ever looked like THIS.  It literally was unrecognizable.  Completely transformed.  So amazing. 

Brother and I enjoying the glorious splendor of the transformed room (and the delicious 4-course meal... steak and lobster=SO good!!)

Speaking of glorious splendor... I think the cake was taller than Caroline.  ;-) 

Mary achieved the perfect combination of humor and sentimentality in her amazing Maid of Honor speech... a difficult feat indeed.

I love this photo...cheers Mr. and Mrs. Brown!

After din, the party moved to "dancing under the stars" at the Garis's house.  This photo definitely doesn't capture the full essence of the scene, but at least it gives a slight idea.  Their backyard literally looked like a trendy Hollywood nightclub, complete with a clear plexi-glass dancefloor over the pool, white leather couches, and two bars made from ice sculptures. It was amazing! (and the band was awesome). 

A soulful saxophone player from the band serenaded Mary like I've never seen anyone with a musical instrument do before. I was dying laughing. 

When we weren't dancing our booties off (or getting serenaded) on the crazy dancefloor, we were in the very fun photobooth. Here we have the wonderful combo of Mary and myself and our mothers (who are also best friends as of the last few years). A photobooth is an absolute MUST at my (hypothetical) wedding. Too much fun. 

...and they lived happily ever after! <3 

Such a beautiful, FUN, joyous event.  I saw one facebook album from it entitled "the best thing to happen to Duncan since the land run", and I think they might be right. ;-) 

I love you, little sister! 

xoxo, 

Annie