#GGB75

I just wanted to wish The Golden Gate Bridge a very happy 75th birthday today.  The view of this marvel never gets old.  This was the first thing I fell in love with about California when I crossed it for the first time at 10:43pm on April 10, 2009.  When I crossed this icon of San Francisco that night, it was pretty much my engagement ring from my new city and new life.  I have never left his side since.  

I adore this bridge and never pass up an opportunity to take a photo of it.  Here are some snaps that I have taken over the past few years.

International Orange.

Angie

What Is Making You Smile Thursday

Hey Gurrrrrl.  Heyyyyy.  Friends, I am sicker than the day is long today, so I wanted to show you some fun photos of my new favorite outfit, and share with you my new favorite Tumblr.

Dress and Shoes: H&M.  Belt: Zara

You all know what a sucker I am for a good GIF tumblr and SF.  Whilst In SF combines both:

Analysis of Bay-to-Breakers

Accidentally joining an occupy/99% protest

What Ruby Skye feels like with a weekday headliner

So, there ya go.  Hoping I feel better by this weekend...It's Memorial Day, afterall.

xo.

Angie

Hump Day Happy Hour

Good Morning Darlings.  I am bringing you a new feature this morning called Hump Day Happy Hour...Because sometimes all that can get you through the mid-week sadmadblahs is to think about sipping a fun cocktail with your friends.  The lovely folks at Hpnotiq HARMONIE were precious enough to give me this inspiration for two funflirty cocktails with a Southern spin.  Two things that are close to my heart.  

Southern Charm

1.5 oz Hpnotiq Harmonie & 1.5 oz Champagne

           

Minty Julep 

Equal parts Hpnotiq Harmonie &St. Germain

1.5 oz Gin

Lemon Juice

Simple Syrup

Splash Soda

Mint Garnish

I am really excited to join Hpnotiq HARMONIE and Tinsley Mortimer tonight to celebrate the release of her new book "Southern Charm", sip some of these sparklegemawesome cocktails, and socialize with some of San Francisco's finest.  If you are in the area and available tonight, I invite you to join us.  RSVP info below.

GRITS.

Angie

Bay to Broken

Hi party people.  Most of you don't know this, but as you can probably imagine, in some part of SF or another, on any day that ends in Y, there is some halloween type of holiday or event going on here.  In other words, everyone is looking for some excuse or another to throw on a costume, or NOTHING, and venture out in public. One of the biggest excuses is Bay to Breakers, which is actually a marathon that has been running from the San Francisco Bay to Ocean Beach for 101 years...Clear across town, over hills, through Golden Gate Park, to the Pacific Ocean (the breakers): an over 7 mile trek.  I don't know where along the years this race went from an actual race to The Straight Pride Parade, but it did.  

I have lived here in Frisco since 2009 and have never once participated in said SPP, but I know this:  It involves dressing in costume and very early morning/day drinking throughout the city.  Two things, that in theory, I am usually all about.  I was invited to a party where the theme was "Dance".  My intention was to dress as a "Fly Girl" so, here is what I came up with: 

Granted, I get that I look a little more Madonna/SJP/BritneymakingoutwithMadonna than Fly Girl, but I am ok with that.  After I came up with this outfit on Saturday evening, I did an impromptu photoshoot.  (Lucky You).  

The hitch comes here:  I gabbed with the girls until 4:30 am on Sunday and I had to get up to put this outfit on at 5:30 am to head clear across town to walk in this marathon/parade/shitshow.  My alarm went off at 5:30, my stomach was in excruciating pain (whatsnewnothing), so I went back to bed.  When we finally got up, I realized I would have gotten up, given it the college try, got half way through The City, and would be looking for the closest MUNI train to take my happyass home, because crowds of drunk people annoy me.  I have done Gasparilla way too many times in my life, and Bay to Breakers is a joke compared to that shitshow.

So, Adiel and I did what any smart person would have done: I live at the end of the race/parade/nudistcolony/trailofbrokendreams, so we decided to take a leisurely stroll through Golden Gate Park in the reverse path of the pure ridiculousness, dressed in our normal clothes (no tutu was hurt in the making of this blog post and memory).  I truly believe that when grownassadults, who are seemingly responsible individuals with 9-6 jobs, start drinking hardcore before The Lord is awake, dressed as either a banana or head-to-to American Apparel spandex, they will start questioning their lives around 1:00 that afternoon.  

By the time people got across town, the scene was nothing better than hottragicmess. I don't know if it's the booze, or the spandex cutting off oxygen to everyone's brains, but I will forever now refer to Bay to Breakers as Bay to Broken AKA, the trail of tears.  I saw multiple people whose costumes consisted of nothing more than a backpack full of godknows what.  Deadcereal, what goes through ones mind when they get up one morning and are all, "hmmm, what should I wear to walk all the way through San Francisco, today...let's see...I'm going to go with cowboy hat, period." And let me tell you, attractive people do not venture out nekkidasajaybird.  These are highly jackedup looking individuals, mostly sporting mullets."  Here are some G rated snaps I got.  People in full Canadian Tuxedo faceplanted fully in the ground:

Multiple women crying saying: "I'm drunk and I don't know where I am...OMG, I am dressed like an a-hole". (Please notice the 2 individuals making a killing on their can game in the background).

All in all, what we saw looked like the hipster apocalypse.  Which, I truly wish that could happen in real life.  I think we did Bay to Breakers the right way...It was better than any Tony Robbins conference I could have ever paid money to go to:  I feel great about myself today...I can't say the same for that dude in the green unitard.

Hooray, Straight Pride 2012.

Angie

I'm In The Building, And I'm Feeling Myself.

Remember that time I put a flower the size of Texas on top of my head, and rocked it like it was no one's business?  No?  Well, you will now!  That's right, I snagged this from Punam's dressing room and I as soon as I clipped in in my hair,  it reminded me that, as a Florida Orange, it is my godgivenbirthrite to rock a topper. 

Dress: Zara. Shoes: H&M. 

I actually wore this to a fashion show.  It was the first one I had ever attended, so, I was super excited to step out all chic'ed up.  I went with two of my best girls, and I have to say, we were looking hotdamnpoppy.  As soon as we walked in the door, people were asking to take our photos.  I have to admit, that will make you feel like a gazilliontrillion bucks. Immediately, this song came to mind.  PdotS: drives The Mister crazy that the softest rapper in the game (DrizzyDrake) made this song popular to the masses.

Granted, about an hour after we walked through the door, I was awked out, watching a man in a dog collar walk down a runway, but that is besides the point.  

Luvurguts.

Angie

When In Rome...

Hey Girl.  HEEEEEY. I am really trying to get back in the swing of posting outfits everyday.  Like Barbie said: "Math is hard.  Let's go shopping".  Well, blogging is hard work too...in that I freakingloveit and wish I could devote all my Britney lovin heart to it.  But unfortunately I got billsbillsbills, and four wine club memberships to pay for.  And this girl needs her vinos.  I mean, look how freaking giddypants I am in these pics...They were taken at Domaine Carneros, and I just did a tasting of three different colors of bubbles.

Wearing: Dress via: Fawn Boutique.  Shoes: Aldo.  Vest: DIY'd.  Sunburn on my knees: refusal to wear sunscreen

BTW, I never thought I'd wear the hi-lo skirt, but this awesome dress changed my mind...I always thought that I didn't have the knees for it...with them being all chubby and whathaveyou. Now I want a bajillion of them. 

I had a friend email me a picture, and in the title it said: Where Unicorns Come From.  So, I get all excited and start thinking ZOMGZOMGZOMG, there are totally going to be glitter eggs in this email.  Well, I was wrong, but impressed nonetheless:

You learn something new everyday.

Throw Some Glitter On It.

Angie

I've Been Everywhere, Man

What's happening kiddos.  I am still not feeling 100% back to my sparklegemawesome self, but I have a backlog of outfits that I want to share with you.  These were taken up in Sonoma over the weekend.  The Mister is so good to me, and knew that I was stressed out about my procedures and a million other things and planned me a surprise getaway.  We jetted out Saturday morning and visited our favorite wineries and then went to our lovenest for the night, and then laid by the pool the next day.  It was just what the doctor ordered.  

Wearing: Wedges: Aldo.  Romper: Via Poshmark

I know I have said this multiple times here before, but San Francisco can drain you physically and emotionally sometimes.  With the constant berating on your senses, and the go-go-go pace of life, getting out of town becomes necessary.  Plus, as soon as you get 5 miles out of Frisco, the weather is hotter than a two dollar pistol.  Growing up in Florida, wearing next to nothing is my comfort zone.  It just makes me happy...Clearly.

Happy Place.

Angie

The Day Your Momma Warned You About

Ciao Amici.  So, as you know I have been taking care of my bellyaching lately, but that doesn't mean we are going to miss out on Mother's Day.  Mother's Day is a very special day around here and I have the honor and blessing of being able to celebrate it with multiple fabulous women who continue to shape and influence both mine and The Mister's lives.  I mean...I don't just pop out this sassy, I obviously got it from somewhere.

So, here are some things that I have in the works for my Momma, Grandma, and TMM (The Mister's Momma).

1. Wide Brimmed Hat:  My Momma is known for rockin' her sunhats.  She taught me that they never go out of style and are a necessary when you have beach/pool/boat/workin in the yard hair.  She gave me the best advice growing up, and that was: "Angie, a lady never leaves the house a mess. Bring me my hat and those sunglasses. You never know when you are going to run into someone." There is a particular wide-brimmed raffia hat that the woman has had for years.  I think it's time for a new one and this one, with it's preciousaspie bow on it, exudes my mom.

2. VJB Cellars Wine Club:  I'm not even gonna lie, this is what everyone is getting from me this year.  VJB is our favorite winery in Wine Country.  We rave about their wines and since they don't distribute, it is just mean of us to talk about how much we enjoy their wines without sharing it with our favorite people.  We got our mom's the "Club Cucina" membership, which gives them 2 bottles of wine, and 2 jars of sauces and recipes six times a year.  You really can't beat that.  It's a gift that keeps on giving.

3. Blue Vanilla's Shiza Necklace: Every mom needs a colorful statement piece to kick her jeans and a button-down into full throttle.  This one is both beautiful and an amazing price point, and let's face it, I always turn to my Blue Vanilla girls  when I need a unique and sparklegemawesome gift

4: Stella & Dot Lindsay Bangle:  More fun and bright pops of color to take your favorite ladies outfit to the next level.

5: Element Tote Bag:  Who can have too many totes?  I love that this one is both big enough to be functional and simple enough to not be embarrassed to take it with you to after the beach drinks and dinner.

6: Specifics Ultimate Repair Cream:  Y'all know how much I love this stuff .  It's unicorn magic cream and every woman deserves this in her vanity.  It costs you a bajilliontrillion dollars, so, if you buy this one thing for your mom, it will totally buy you forgiveness for not calling or vising her regularly.

The Hotness My Momma Groomed Me To Be.

Angie

If You Really Wanna Know

If you asked me what I did today, I would tell you that I drank a buttload of barium.

I saw my guts too.  There are some things that cannot be unseen.  I also now kinda feel like our skin is a water balloon that holds in some really random looking parts.  Come to find out, not all of them are necessary...i.e. My "S" shaped gall bladder (not normal, btw).  

TMI.

Angie

Turn To The Left

Ok, so you know that I am a woman of a certain age...That certain age is 30.  That means I grew up in the 90's.  If you were hanging out on the suburbancoolness side of the tracks between 1993 and 1997, you were hoping and praying for one thing.  That thing was for your mom to take you down to Glamour Shots in the mall and have some chick with a bad perm, too much blush, and coffee breath, tease the everlovingshit out of your hair, cake on the foundation and bronzer onto your face, and let some registered perv with a mullet take your picture. 

You may be wondering to yourself: "Ang, why are you even thinking about that crap?".  Well, I read this article on BuzzFeed last week on "12 ways to achieve the very best Glamour Shot".  I was all sideeyeing Wanda from Witchita and then I realized, Holy efffff, I have some epic Glamour Shot action.  Not only did I get GS's done, I got them done twice and I had a perm both times.  If you think I am going to hide this from y'all you got another thing coming.  First off, Glamour Shots were the freaking sparklegemawesomejam back in the day.  Second off, I don't know how they do it, but the GS photog (Let's call him Chester LeMolester) knew just how to make you look like you were AWESOMESAUCECRAZYPANTS. 

I was both patriotic and professional

Would you like to buy some insurance or maybe a Harley?

I was the top selling 11 year old real estate agent in Hillsborough County in 1992

I am from the South so, obviously I needed to dress up like I was going for Miss Photogenic in the Miss American Teen Pagent...Not that I did that, ever...

Perhaps you would like me to sell you some Mary Kay, or be your date to the rodeo?

Look, I don't know why we did what we did in the 90's, but I would totally do some Glamour Shots right now...Minus Chester LeMolester...Obvi I upgraded to a Frenchie Photog since then. So, here is the deal.  I know you princesses got your Glamour Shots done in the 90's...Don't hide them, they are nothing to be ashamed of.  Send them to me and I will put them up here on the blog.  Submit me your GS's by Sunday, May 6 and I will feature you, your boa, and your feathered hair on THYMWYA.  You can email, tweet, or Facebook them to me.  

Cover Girl.

Angie