My 33rd Birthday

Yes, I'm admitting it. I knew it was coming, but I full-on admitted it to myself this morning. But you know what? I don't care. Age really is a number. 33 is still young, and like I told my 27-year-old coworker last week, I feel as if I'm hotter now than I was in my 20s! I feel sorry for any 20-something dreading the big 3-0. Life is soooooooo good right now!

I think now's a good time to reflect on this past year, and I realize I haven't done any lists on my blog yet. So what I'll do next is combine these 2 by making a list that incorporates changes in me and in my life from this past year. In honor of the big 3-3, I'm doing 3 lists, with 11 items each. These are in no particular order. It's just really hard to pick faves.

11 of the Most Special Memories From When I Was 32:
-Portugal/Spain/France
-Hawaii
-East Coast Adventure
-my sister's wedding
-Christmas with my family
-Vegas getaway
-stepping on the scale and seeing the needle drop at various times throughout the year
-my parents' anniversary celebration, watching them dance in front of our family and friends
-meeting Brad Goreski with my pals G and J
-hanging with my pals at Happy Hour at various times throughout the year
-putting on clothes that haven't fit in years

11 Lessons I've Learned Along the Way (Most of These Inspired By People I Love):
-Life is time. Waste as little of it as you can.
-If you concentrate on the good stuff, the bad stuff goes away.
-Worrying about something doesn't change it.
-Despite knowing #3, I will worry anyway.
-Miserable people want nothing more than converts to their ways. Don't become one.
-Maturity doesn't always come with age.
-It's OK to like being alone.
-You'll never be able to figure out why anyone else does what they do. Don't bother trying.
-Where you went to school, the subject of your degree, and how much experience you have count for very little. If you can play the politics game well, you'll get far.
-It's OK to be "superficial" and care about the unimportant things, like what shade of lipstick you wear, occasionally.
-Being in shape is a great thing! The sooner, the better.

11 Things I Look Forward to as a 33-Year-Old:
-getting into better shape, now knowing what activities excite me and realizing the importance of being in shape
-paying down more of my student loan debt
-silently telling myself I'm hot more often
-finding Mr. Right, if it's the time and being OK if it isn't
-more precious time with my family and friends
-being less self-conscious
-making new friends
-fun trips
-getting closer to fulfilling my dreams
-wearing my sexy dresses and shoes more often
-cooking more often

Of course, I'm not going to leave you readers hanging. Here are my 3 birthday presents, revealed! These gifts are definitely a scaleback from past years. I really could use a new wallet and a small bag to take to dinner or a party. And the book...well, I just wanted it. They are, from left to right:
Christian Louboutin Suola wallet, small Gucci canvas pochette, Christian Louboutin 20th anniversary retrospective book.

Hello to my newest follower, judyspink!

What a Great Pre-Birthday Week!

I don't dread birthdays. In fact, I love them. I don't get why people dread them. I mean, they come whether you want them to or not, so why not make the best of it?

On Wednesday night, I got together with some friends for a co-celebration of my birthday and the birthday of another friend. It was about 15 people who spent Happy Hour at Smith House, a bar in Century City. Free valet parking, tasty buffalo wings, discounted drinks, and a churro-type dessert for birthdays...what better place?! More than the great place, I was just thrilled that someone actually remembered and planned something for me.



Today, I picked up birthday present #3! Honestly, I intended to buy just 1, but the other 2 just kinda happened. Despite the fact that there's 3 of them, this really is a scale-down from years past. Don't worry, readers, it's only 2 days until the reveal!

I had a great dinner. It began with a glass of champagne with a few friends, then I headed to The Bazaar by Jose Andres in Beverly Hills to meet up with my sisters and their men for another birthday celebration. This restaurant has been named the best in LA, and if you're lucky enough to go, you'll see why. It's frequented by celebrities, such as the Kardashians. The decor is interesting, and the food is yummy! The dishes are the creations of Jose Andres, world-famous chef known for avant-garde dishes that are the product of molecular gastronomy. It's on the pricey side, though, so unless you're a Kardashian yourself, it's likely a place to dine on special occasions only. It's a Spanish-style restaurant, so the plates are tiny, but the prices are the same as full entrees in other restaurants. All of my food pics came out blurry, but when my sister sends me hers, I'll be sure to add them. However, I did get a somewhat clear pic of one of the display cases, sponsored by Kiki de Montparnasse, the risque lingerie line (when I reach my goal and have more money, I'm buying all my lingerie there!).

I have 5 new followers! Hello, Sunshine, zippity, Katherine, Petra, and Yami!

Vegas, Baby!

One of the many great things about living in LA is the close proximity to Las Vegas. I know you've all heard this before, but I have to say that Vegas is the ultimate adult playground. Sometimes I take it for granted because it's so close, but let's just say that I make sure to pump some dollars into their local economy every time I'm there =)

Angelenos can get to Las Vegas via a 5-6 hour drive or a 1-hour flight. I choose to fly because the idea of sitting in a car for 5-6 hours and using up all that gas sounds like a bad idea to me, plus Southwest frequently sells LAX to LAS flights for $29, so I took advantage of this special. WTH not? I usually make it a point to visit Vegas at least once a year, in the summer. Summer passed, and I hadn't visited. It was time, plus it's not a bad way to spend my birthday =)

I spent just a couple of days there, enough to have a little fun and recharge my batteries. Like I do during every visit, I ate at the buffet at Bellagio Hotel. I've eaten at all the major restaurants there, and this one is still my fave. Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on how you look at it), I didn't take full advantage of it this time. I've shed about 20 pounds this last year, and I'm trying really hard to keep it off, so I had to resist.

I saw Jersey Boys, a musical/dance show that tells the backstory of famed oldies group Frankie Valli & the 4 Seasons. They had many hits, including "Big Girls Don't Cry". I highly recommend it, unless you don't like music, since this show is full of it. Most of the people in the audience were middle-aged or older, so they rocked out to the songs, many of them remarking how much the show brought them back to their childhood and teen years.

I guess I don't feel comfortable with the idea of throwing hard-earned money away (I'd rather spend it on something I need or want-like shoes!), so I didn't do much gambling. I did, however, briefly hit the slot machines...and won a whopping $3!

This being me, you're probably wondering if I did some shopping. Why yes, I did. I stopped by both Christian Louboutin boutiques, including the new one at Caesar's Palace Hotel. I was hoping to see some python, and they did not disappoint. They had the black crystal python Madame Butterfly pumps and the purple python lucido Hyper Prive pumps, and they had my size in both! I gasped when I tried them on, but I had to resist and pass. Both pairs cost over $1K, and I just can't spend that much on a pair of shoes right now. Due to my desire to meet a major goal that I hope to accomplish within the next 3 years, I have to sacrifice a little...so unfortunately, it could be a while before I buy a really fab pair of Christian Louboutin shoes.

So did I walk away with nothing? No, of course not. I got a 2nd birthday present! It's scaled down, compared to previous years, but it's something I'm excited about nonetheless. Since my birthday's not until the 31st (yes, Halloween!), I have to keep it under wraps until then. Here's a sneak peek, though...Yeah, I know it's wrapped in Christmas paper (lol)!

I just noticed that I have a new follower: Hi, carlinha!

A Sneak Peak at My Birthday Present

Last weekend, I made a purchase: my next birthday present. I asked them to wrap it up because I don't plan to open it until my actual birthday. I promise to not delay, like what I did on my 30th =) Here's a sneak peek: