ICEBAR Baby

Wednesday night Scott and I went to the Back9Network's Launch Party.  We got invited by a friend and thought it would be great to finally check out ICEBAR Orlando.  That...we certainly did.

ICE BAR BABY.

If you've never been to an ICEBAR before, it's definitely something worth checking out.  Beyond the ice, there's a regular temperature bar with seating and a large dance floor area.  Check out the virtual 360 degree inside tour.

The coats you see in the tour outline the actual ICEBAR, which is an extremely chilly 20 degrees, made entirely from ice.  Tables, chairs, decorations and even cups were stone cold.

Don't worry: you don't have to wear a parka here...
They provide one for you.

Or at least a version of that...

The event was great, and we are excited to see what the Back 9 Network is all about.  Look out for it airing in the near future.

There was a variety of talent there and The Voice 2011 Winner Javier Colon kicked off the party off.  Al B. Sure! and Flava Flav joined in and the crowd enjoyed their renditions of "There Goes My Baby."

Here's a talent highlight video:

Contrary to what most people might think about the bar and location, I think this venue would be a great place for tourists AND locals to go out.

International Drive used to scream the word tourist to me, but Scott and I have been enjoying dinners, movies and outings in the area lately.  You're okay, I-Drive.

I'm sure we'll be back to the ICEBAR soon.
We've got a Groupon to use :)

Check it.

Scottish Highland Games

Aye, Aye!
This weekend Scott and I channeled our inner Scottish selves.

Scott is part "Scott"ish (ha!), Irish & English, and has interested me in learning as much as I can about Celtic traditions and heritage.  When we heard it was time for the Scottish Highland Games, we were all about it.

The first rule of attending a festival just for Scots is to try their food.  I opted for a delicious Shepherd's Pie with a side of IRN BRU:

(both were ridiculously delicious.)

while others preferred ground sheep's pluck (heart, liver and lungs), also known as Scottish Haggis.

I don't care if having a bite of that is considered good luck for a year or not... I'm pretty sure that was my one and only time experiencing that.  I just wish I had I a picture of my face when I found out what I just put in my mouth - EEK!

Luckily, I quickly got distracted by the sheep tossing contest.

Although they weren't real sheep...the women were tossing real weights over on the other side.

After the games, Scott and I tried to find anything with "Hess" on it, since that's where Hesington stems from.

No such luck... but I did find a Claddagh Ring!

To summarize the rest of our day: there was sheep herding...

some axe throwing...

some elk skinned new friends...

 and some kilt wearing men...

The remainder of the details are found in this (what I found to be entertaining) video:



Hope you enjoyed it.  Cheerio! :)

Black & White Party Flare

I like to think I have a pretty good fashion sense.

My goal with my wardrobe is to create sassy (but classy), fun outfits on a reasonable budget.  As much as I would love to get a new outfit for every occasion from a label or boutique store, I try my hardest to bargain shop whenever possible.

Last Friday night, Scott and I went to a Black & White themed birthday party and I didn't have a clue as to what I would be wearing until a couple hours prior.  I took a risk counting on being able to pull an outfit out from you know where, and to my surprise it turned pretty good:

I'm sorry the lighting and background is awful.  As soon as I realized "Oh, these accessories would be a great topic to write about..." my camera died, and I had to rely on my go-to camera backup: the iPhone in and elevator.

Before we get into my favorite parts about this outfit, let's breakdown the basics of where I got what:

Blazer: GAP (hand me down)

Dress: Urban Outfitters (sale rack)

Belt: Forever 21

Clutch: Express

As for my accessories, well that's what I like to call my  

Black & White Party Flare.

 

1. Dramatic Necklace

It's fun to make a statement with jewelry, especially when it's a fun and sparkly necklace.  I got this one from Aldo Accessories, a store that leaves the shoes and sells only accessories from Aldo.

2. Glittery Tights

I also got these glittery tights on sale at Aldo Accessories.  I originally bought them for New Years, but I ended up wearing a sequin dress instead.  A pair of sparkly tights is an easy way to instantly dress up an outfit, especially when it's Black & White.

3. Ankle Bow Boots

I got these over two years ago, but keep bringing them out because they are so comfortable.  They were my very first pair of ankle boots and I fell in love with the bow on the outside of each heel.  These were purchased from Forever 21 for under $25.

4.  Red Lips

This outfit is a perfect example of when you can make bright lips the focal point of what you're wearing.  I got more compliments at the party on my lips than anything else.  Pictured is a gift from a friend, Red Salsa Salsa from Mary Kay.  I don't think they sell this shade anymore, but Really RED is pretty similar.

*You didn't think I would go fully Black & White from head to toe did you?  

5. Bracelets

More bling from Aldo, but these were purchased at the regular shoe store.  The set I bought came in a variety pack of 10 different bracelets, and they've become my favorite last minute addition to a lot of outfits.  I loved the different shades of black and grey for $18.

The goal is to get creative by thinking outside of the "Black & White Party" box.  You never know when you'll run into a cute Black Jack dealer in a snazzy vest and bow tie... ;)

Who knew?

Bittersweet Basketball

Scott and I went to the Orlando Magic vs. Washington Wizards game on Wednesday night.

The whole day we were both a tad irritable, and I think it's because we were nervous about going to our old stomping ground that just so happens to be the Amway Center.  Both Scott and I worked for the Magic and spent my four seasons dancing there side by side.

Back in June within the blink of an eye, Scott's position with the Magic disappeared, leaving me to make one of the hardest decisions of my life: I decided to hang up my dancing boots and not re-try out for the 2011-12 season. 

2010 Magic Dancer Photoshoot

It was the right decision for both me and for our first year of marriage, and it was the only fair thing to do in case we end up moving to new city.  We're trusting in God's plan for us and know it will all make sense in *2012*.

To be honest, I don't think either of us were ready to go back to see everyone yet, but we both sucked it up and went to the game anyways...

It was bittersweet.

We were a little bitter...and these cupcakes were a lot sweet.

It was completely different being on the other side's perspective.  We have both been a part of Game Nights for the past four years (Scott had been nine), so it was our first time going to a Magic game together as spectators.  The basketball was good...although that's not really what I focused on.

At halftime I went with a few other former Magic Dancers to our old locker room and took advantage of the opportunity to take a picture in front of our "cubes" we got ready in.

Part of me wanted to re-arrange the stuff in my cube to how it should be, but I refrained from doing so.  Part of me wanted to take a pair of pom poms and sneak into the girls line up ready to go on court, but I refrained from that too.

Instead, I found my dance manager Jeanine and took a picture with her.

Since I didn't really plan my "retirement" from the team, I never really got my goodbye photos in the locker room and I was taking full advantage of this situation.

When I went back out to the floor, I found my assistant manager Cherie and got another goodbye photo with her.

Isn't she sassy? They're always stylin' on the sidelines.

It was great running into everyone, catching up and giving hugs.  A few people were a little surprised to see us there, but I guess the time had to come sooner or later....

Ready or not - HERE WE ARE!

We came. We saw. We conquered.  

Thanks, Danielle for putting up with all of it! :)

You know what they say....when life throws you lemons, make lemonade.  Knocking off the first few resolutions of our New Year in 2012:

spend more time with friends

be spontaneous

go to a Magic game

Although I may have "hung up my dancing boots" with the Magic, I'm still a source of information and have a lot of advice on what it takes to dance in the NBA.  Feel free to contact me with any questions, anytime.  

I've started writing weekly for a blog based on a book about auditioning for a professional sports team called FullOut: The Series.  If you or anyone you know is thinking about trying out for an NBA/NFL dance or cheer team: check out my article on Audition Outfit Fashion.

Questions:

• What's one of your bittersweet moments?
• Working on any New Years Resolutions?

Naughty or Nice Stockings

Although our first Married Christmas is over, there is still so much I want need to share.  If I didn't elaborate on the presents that appeared in my stocking this year, it would be a shame...because they were out of control.

I'm not really sure if I was on the Naughty or Nice list this year because Santa (or Scott) left me pretty confused.  I'm beginning to think that Santa had nothing to do with this because everything I found had a Japanese label on it.

 Hmmm.  I do remember Scott saying something about a 100 Yen store.

Yup...it's all coming clear now.  I also remember saying something about all the stuff he didn't need to bring home from Japan:

Eh, you win some and you loose some...and I'm not quite sure which category my Stocking Stuffers fit under.  I need your help deciding, so let's start at the beginning...

We decided our new iMac and our new running shoes were our Christmas presents to each other, and I was kind of counting on Santa Claus to help me out with the stocking part...no such luck.

So, I did what anyone would do in this situation and started digging in.  The first thing that made me question Santa's work were these Spicy Choco Sticks.

Since when did spicy + chocolate = yummy?

Next up...exactly what I was hoping for...a Nose Ball Roller.

I mean, you never know when you might need to roll your nose.

We had a good 2-minute laugh at the next one...

Mind you, these are a size Large.  Who fits in those? And WHY are they made of my fuzzy sock material?  Oh, wait...I've been looking for these...Finger Puppets!

I love how there's two happy puppets and two angry ones.  What the heck? I promise you it gets even better...

Who's up for a nice round of the Panty Hose Game?

Or, can I interest you in borrowing my Instant Balloons?

The list of crap stuff goes on and on...but I'll leave you with the best highlight of all: Dried Fish.

Go ahead, dig in to those bad boys...I dare you.  I guess my Nose Ball Roller came in handy, after all.

Oh...my husband.   He found such joy in this that he decided to re-gift some of my presents for my niece and nephew.  Notice how the wrapping is just as awesome as what's inside.

What happened next is best explained in this video:

Whether you were good or bad this year...I hope your Merry Christmas Stockings turned out to be more Nice than Naughty.

Question:
Did anything outrageous end up in your stocking?

Gavin DeGraw IS Sweeter

If you're a frequenter of my blog, you would know by now that Scott and I share a love for music.  We always have background music on in the house and are often found singing random songs we make up to the dog, cats and to each other...true story.

Regardless of who's doing the singing we thoroughly enjoy music as well as attending concerts in our area.  Living in Orlando, it's been a great outlet to catch a variety of artists including Coldplay, Jay-Z, Mary J. Blige, Natasha Battingfield, Colbie Callait, Robin Thicke, Rascal Flatts, The Fray and more recently Gavin DeGraw.

Yesterday, I shared why Scott and I have such a connection to Gavin's music, with a special attachment to:
More Than Anyone. <--- Click, if you missed it.

Today, I'm happy to share the rest:

• Saturday, Dec. 10th: I find out Gavin DeGraw will be playing at the House of Blues in Orlando.  He is in Show#3 of XL1067's XLent Xmas 2011.
• Monday, Dec. 12th: Scott gets back from Japan and I can FINALLY ask him if we're able to go (I never know what his schedule looks like these days).
• Tuesday, Dec. 13th: I'm on a mission.  I've been bugging Scott about the tickets non-stop and he reports that they're all sold out. :(
• Wednesday, Dec. 14th: After work, Scott makes a point that we will go and try to "buy tickets there"...from whoever, just to go.  I'm skeptical, but I really, really want to go...so I roll with it.

I was so excited for an impromptu date night with Scott.  We started with dinner at Friday's (Thank You...$25 Giftcard) and made sure to get to the concert by the time Skylar Grey was on for the pre-show.

We walk up to will call and Scott mutters "let's just see what we can do...".  Before I know it, we have 2 tickets handed over to us under his name.  WHAT?!

The stinker had tickets held for us the entire time...

Gullible or not...we had tickets to the show!!!! Booyah!

We got in, set up camp, and were stoked to see the show.  Skylar Grey, Andy Grammar and The Fray were also playing...but obviously we were most excited to see Gavin.  We parked upstairs (which Scott insisted on) as kept trying to get him back downstairs.  

Wouldn't you want to be in this sea of cute Gavin Santa Hats?

 

We were too late for the hats, but we did find some friends!

Right after we snuck into what would be "our spot" overlooking the crowd Scott told me to come with him and flashed me THIS:

Does that say what I think it does?!?!  Why yes..yes it does.

We were going to have a Meet & Greet! 

At this point I just couldn't believe it.  First the concert, now this?  My husband is pretty much the best.

I guess that's fair.

Meeting Gavin was amazing.  I am certainly not one to become starstruck or freak out about celebrities, but I was just beside myself that I was getting to meet GDG.  

The main reason for my obsession? He is so down to earth.  I could just tell he is a very humble person, and that's what makes me a true fan.

Okay, are you ready for the pictures?! I am!  

*Thank you to XL106.7 for providing all of these for us.

Wow..I just got a little nervous...I'm not sure what to say.

Gavin: "Would you guys like a picture?"...trying to break the ice. Sure.  Okay, that was great.

So....cricket sounds...(Thinking in my head I LOVE YOU!)...

Me: "Okay, I hate to be that girl, but I have to tell you something.  We have a really special connection to your music.  It's kind of what brought us together."

Gavin: "Wow, that's awesome." 

Me: "Yeah...your song 'More Than Anyone' really means a lot to us.  In fact, Scott sang it to me at our wedding!"

Scott: "And, she actually had it engraved inside my wedding ring."

Gavin: "No way...."

Me: "Way...More Than Anyone is OUR song, and it meant the most to me when I wanted something to engrave on it."

Gavin: "You guys, I am so humbled by this."

Me: "We are just such great fans of yours...from day one and are so excited to be here!"

I'm not kidding when I say Gavin was truly taken back while showing him how much we appreciate his music.  As if I wasn't a big fan before, this certainly was the icing on top the cake.

 The night was perfect and we spent the remainder of the concert in awe of what just happened.

Oh...there is one more thing that made this experience even Sweeter: @GavinDeGraw is now following me on twitter. *Sigh.

THANK YOU to Gavin for a wonderful night & to my husband, who never ceases to amaze me.